Frank Burke (Medal of Honor recipient)
Encyclopedia
Francis X. "Frank" Burke (September 29, 1918 – September 6, 1988) was a United States Army
officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
—for his actions in World War II
.
in Jersey City, New Jersey
, and by April 17, 1945 was the Transportation Officer, as a first lieutenant, in D Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On that day, in Nuremberg
, Germany
, he repeatedly engaged German forces alone during the fight to capture the city. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor nine months later, on January 9, 1946.
Burke reached the rank of Major
before leaving the Army. He died at age 69 and was buried at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Arneytown, New Jersey
.
The barracks complex housing 1st Battalion 15th Infantry on Kelley Hill, Fort Benning
, is named "Burke Barracks" in honor of 1LT Burke. It consists of a Charge of Quarters
soldier center (building 9140) and three main barracks buildings (9141, 9142, 9143) housing up to 96 soldiers per building, 288 soldiers in the entire complex.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
—for his actions in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Francis X. "Frank" Burke entered active duty in the U.S. Army from the New Jersey National GuardNew Jersey National Guard
The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of over 9000 Guardsmen. The Guard is currently engaged in several worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germany and Egypt...
in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, and by April 17, 1945 was the Transportation Officer, as a first lieutenant, in D Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On that day, in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, he repeatedly engaged German forces alone during the fight to capture the city. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor nine months later, on January 9, 1946.
Burke reached the rank of Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
before leaving the Army. He died at age 69 and was buried at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Arneytown, New Jersey
North Hanover Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,347 people, 2,498 households, and 2,020 families residing in the township. The population density was 423.7 people per square mile . There were 2,670 housing units at an average density of 154.0 per square mile...
.
The barracks complex housing 1st Battalion 15th Infantry on Kelley Hill, Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, is named "Burke Barracks" in honor of 1LT Burke. It consists of a Charge of Quarters
Charge of Quarters
CQ or Charge of Quarters is a United States armed forces term used to describe tasked duty in which a service member is to guard the front entrance to the barracks. It is usually a 24 hour shift in which the two service members, one non-commissioned officer and the other a lower enlisted service...
soldier center (building 9140) and three main barracks buildings (9141, 9142, 9143) housing up to 96 soldiers per building, 288 soldiers in the entire complex.
Medal of Honor citation
Burke's official Medal of Honor citation reads:He fought with extreme gallantry in the streets of war-torn NurembergNurembergNuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany, where Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, was engaged in rooting out fanatical defenders of the citadel of Nazism. As battalionBattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
transportation officer he had gone forward to select a motor-pool site, when, in a desire to perform more than his assigned duties and participate in the fight, he advanced beyond the lines of the forward riflemen. Detecting a group of about 10 Germans making preparations for a local counterattack, he rushed back to a nearby American company, secured a light machinegun with ammunition, and daringly opened fire on this superior force, which deployed and returned his fire with machine pistolMachine pistolA machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
s, rifles, and rocket launchers. From another angle a German machinegun tried to blast him from his emplacement, but 1st Lt. Burke killed this guncrew and drove off the survivors of the unit he had originally attacked. Giving his next attention to enemy infantrymen in ruined buildings, he picked up a rifle dashed more than 100 yards through intense fire and engaged the Germans from behind an abandoned tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
. A sniperSniperA sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
nearly hit him from a cellar only 20 yards away, but he dispatched this adversary by running directly to the basement window, firing a full clip into it and then plunging through the darkened aperture to complete the job. He withdrew from the fight only long enough to replace his jammed rifle and secure grenades, then re-engaged the Germans. Finding his shots ineffective, he pulled the pins from 2 grenades, and, holding 1 in each hand, rushed the enemy-held building, hurling his missiles just as the enemy threw a potato masher grenadeModel 24 grenadeThe Model 24 Stielhandgranate was the standard hand grenade of the German Army from the end of World War I until the end of World War II. The very distinctive appearance led to its being called a "stick grenade", or a "potato masher" in British Army slang, and is today one of the most easily...
at him. In the triple explosion the Germans were wiped out and 1st Lt. Burke was dazed; but he emerged from the shower of debris that engulfed him, recovered his rifle, and went on to kill 3 more Germans and meet the charge of a machine pistolman, whom he cut down with 3 calmly delivered shots. He then retired toward the American lines and there assisted a platoon in a raging, 30-minute fight against formidable armed hostile forces. This enemy group was repulsed, and the intrepid fighter moved to another friendly group which broke the power of a German unit armed with a 20-mm20 mm caliberThe 20 mm caliber is a specific size of cannon or autocannon ammunition, commonly the smallest caliber which is unambiguously a cannon and not a heavy machine gun....
gun in a fierce fire fight. In 4 hours of heroic action, 1st Lt. Burke single-handedly killed 11 and wounded 3 enemy soldiers and took a leading role in engagements in which an additional 29 enemy were killed or wounded. His extraordinary bravery and superb fighting skill were an inspiration to his comrades, and his entirely voluntary mission into extremely dangerous territory hastened the fall of Nuremberg, in his battalion's sector.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II