Thomas Burke (Medal of Honor)

Thomas Burke (1833 – 27 October 1883) was an Irish-American sailor in the United States Navy and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Thomas Burke
Born1833
Galway, Ireland
DiedApril 23, 1883 (aged 51)
Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Place of burial
St Michaels, Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Navy
RankSeaman
UnitUSS De Soto
AwardsMedal of Honor

Biography

Burk was a native of County Galway, Ireland, he immigrated to the U.S. and joined the Navy from the state of New York on January 21, 1862. By May 10, 1866, he was serving as a seaman on the USS De Soto. On that day, while the ship was off the coast of Eastport, Maine, he and two shipmates rescued two sailors from the USS Winooski from drowning. For this action, he and his shipmates, Seaman Richard Bates and Captain of the After-guard John Brown, were awarded the Medal of Honor three months later, on August 1.[1][2]

Burke's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For heroic conduct, with 2 comrades, in rescuing from drowning James Rose and John Russell, seamen, of the U.S.S. Winooski, off Eastport, Maine, 10 May 1866.[1]

Death and legacy

Burke died at age 51. The cause of death is unknown. (Per Pension File) He was later buried at St. Michael's Church in the town of Pensacola, county of Escambia, Florida in 1883, as evidenced in his pension file. St. Elizabeth's in Washington, D.C. and the National Cemeteries Administration have recently acknowledged that he was never buried in Washington, D.C., although the mistake is listed on many websites to this day. There are veterans of the same name at this cemetery in Washington, D.C. but none received the Medal of Honor. The erroneous Medal of Honor grave marker in Washington, D.C. is in the process (as of January 2016) of being replaced by a non Medal of Honor marker. Many officials and others have played a role in solving this riddle over the past few years, including the dedicated staff at St. Elizabeth's, and the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the US, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the National Cemeteries Administration and others.

St. Michaels in Pensacola has several burial grounds, and is currently trying to determine which one Burke was buried in.

See also

References
  1. "Medal of Honor recipients - Interim Awards, 1866-1870". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  2. Record of Medals of Honor issued to the Bluejackets and Marines of the United States Navy 1862–1910. Bureau of Navigation. 1910. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-4437-7612-7.
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