The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Richard Leon Burke, United States Coast Guard, for outstanding heroic action on 13 June 1933, in flying an airplane of the Coast Guard from Air Station Cape May to a point 130 miles south off Cape Ann Massachusetts to remove a critically ill seaman from the trawler Shawmut. Lieutenant Burke flew through a series of squall lines and fog for a period of two and one half hours locating the Shawmut by means of his radio direction finder. Letting down through the fog he made visual contact with the trawler and landed alongside in a heavy swell. The semiconscious patient was transferred by boat and with the aid of an oil slick laid out by Shawmut a successful take off was made. After a one and one half hour flight through the squall lines Lieutenant Burke landed at the Boston Airport and the patient was transported to the Marine Hospital. The successful removal of the critically injured seaman to medical attention in a timely manner saved his life.
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Awards Received
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander Richard L. Burke, United States Coast Guard, for heroism and achievement as commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station at Elizabeth City and as commanding of an aviation task unit of the Chesapeake Air Patrol during the entire period of his service since the United States entered World War II. Participating in numerous anti-submarine and convoy protective patrols, in addition to many rescue assistance and hospitalization flights, Commander Burke constantly exercised keen judgment expert airmanship skill and great initiative under extremely adverse conditions. On one occasion he rescued several German survivors from a destroyed enemy submarine. Electing to land on the open sea in waves estimated at eight feet high. Commander Burke on another occasion effected the transfer from a ship to his plane of a U.S. Navy enlisted man who was urgently in need of an emergency operation and had to be transported immediately to a shore hospital; Despite major damage suffered by his plane during the latter undertaking Commander Burke carried out his mission successfully and heroically.