THE WALL OF FACES

Although we never met personally, I want to thank you Robert Charles Burke, for your courageous and valiant service, faithful contribution, and your most holy sacrifice given to this great country of ours!

Your Spirit is alive--and strong, therefore Marine, you shall never be forgotten, nor has your death been in vain!

Again, thank you PFC Robert Charles Burke, for a job exceptionally well done!

REST IN ETERNAL PEACE MY MARINE FRIEND

Our thanks to Mr. Burke and all those that served.
His citation for Medal of Honor can be found at :
http://www.mishalov.com/Burke_R.html

My father served and my son is at the academy.

Vietnam made the difference in the long-term fight for freedom against communism.
May the heroes forever rest in peace.
And thanks to those that DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Clark
http://napcnt.org

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS


ROBERT CHARLES BURKE


<><><><> CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR <><><><>


served as a


MACHINE GUNNER


with


COMPANY ' I '

3rd BATTALION

27th MARINES

1st MARINE DIVISION ( REINFORCED )

FLEET MARINE FORCE


and was a posthumous recipient of the


CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR **


who rests in honored glory in


MONTICELLO CEMETERY


MONTICELLO, ILLINOIS


** ( ROBERT CHARLES BURKE was the youngest recipient of the
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR awarded in the Vietnam War )


** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **


CITATION

FOR AWARD OF THE

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR


Le NAM 1

GO NAI ISLAND

SOUTHERN QUANG NAM PROVINCE

REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

17 MAY 1968


For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty for service as a machine
gunner with Company I. While on Operation ALLEN BROOK,
Company I was approaching a dry river bed with a heavily
wooded treeline that borders the hamlet of Le Nam (1), when
they suddenly came under intense mortar, rocket propelled
grenades, automatic weapons and small arms fire from a
large, well concealed enemy force which halted the company's
advance and wounded several Marines. Realizing that key
points of resistance had been eliminated to allow the units to
advance and casualties to be evacuated, PFC Burke, without
hesitation, seized his machinegun and launched a series of
one-man assaults against the fortified emplacements. As he
aggressively manoeuvered to the edge of the steep bank, he
delivered accurate suppressive fire upon several enemy bunkers,
which enabled his comrades to advance and move the wounded
Marines to positions of relative safety. As he continued his
combative actions, he located an opposing automatic weapons
emplacement and poured intense fire into the position, killing
three North Vietnamese soldiers as they attempted to flee.
PFC Burke then fearlessly moved from one position to another,
quelling the hostile fire until his weapon malfunctioned.
Obtaining a casualty's rifle and hand grenades, he advanced
further into the midst of the enemy fire in an assault against
another pocket of resistance, killing two more of the enemy.
Observing that a fellow Marine had cleared his malfunctioning
machinegun he grasped his weapon and moved into a
dangerously exposed area and saturated the hostile treeline
until he fell mortally wounded. PFC Burke's gallant actions
upheld the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps
and the United States Naval Service.
He gallantly gave his life for his country.


** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **




THE PROUD YOUNG VALOR THAT ROSE ABOVE THE MORTAL

AND THEN, AT LAST, WAS MORTAL AFTER ALL





~~~ SEMPER FIDELIS ~~~





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE




** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **



The award of the


CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR


was presented to his family

on 20 April 1970

at

The White House

by the

Vice President of the United States of America

Spiro T. Agnew






19 MARCH 2001

Robert Burke was the youngest Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient!! I served in the same platoon as Robert and will remember him always!!!! Semper Fi----Bob Simonsen