BURKE – CombatVets Network

Bio Image

Personal Details

Last Name: BURKE
First Name Middle Initial: VIRGIL L.
Nick Name: BUZZ
Street: 3000 LYDIA
Country &State:
City:
State: TOPEKA, KS
Postal Code: 66614
Phone: (785) 272-2540
E-Mail:
Spouse: IRMA
Age when entered service:
Age first entered:
War or Conflict: WWII
Theater of operations: ETO
Year:
Branch of Service/s: Army Air Corp
Years Served:
Date of Discharge / Retirement (circle):
Highest Rank: new_value
Military MOS (Job Descriptions): PILOT
What military medals received: SILVER STAR, AIR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART

Military Bio:

MY HUSBAND LT. COL. VIRGIL BURKE WAS A B-24 BOMBER PILOT IN THE 515TH BOMB SQUADRON-376TH BOMB GROUP IN THE 15TH A.A.F. IN WORLD WAR II. HE WAS SHOT DOWN RETURNING FROM A MISSION OVER REGENBER, GERMANY IN DECEMBER 1943, THIS WAS HIS 25TH MISSION, HE WAS THEN SENT STALAG LUFT I PRISON. AFTER LEAVING THE A.A.F. HE RETURNED TO HIS HOMETOWN IN SPENCER, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND REMAINED IN THE A.A.F. RESERVE. BEING IN THE RESERVES MEANT HE WAS RECALLED BACK TO ACTIVE DUTY IN 1952 DURING THE KOREAN WAR. HE THEN REMAINED IN THE A.F. IN “SAC” AND FLEW AS A PILOT IN THE B-36, THE B-47, AND THE C-47. LT. COL. BURKE PASSED AWAY IN 1981. MY HUSBAND, SON, DAUGHTER, AND I ENJOYED “LIFE IN THE AIR FORCE”!

My Message to Future Generations:

Post Military Occupation

Age when captured: 24
Date of Captured: 12/28/43
Place captured: ADRIATIC SEA
Camp/s held: STALAG LUFT I
Date Released: 05/01/45
Prisoner-of-war status: Liberated
Date of DEATH if deceased:
AGE at death:
Died In Combat:
Died from complications of combat wounds:
Describe below Survivors Include: