BURKE WARD, LTJG, USN
Burke Ward '57
Lucky Bag
From the 1957 Lucky Bag:
BURKE WARD
Coronado, California
Burke, a Navy Junior and a graduate of Brown Military Academy, was no stranger to the military system. From the early days of plebe year, Burke took a keen interest in the Navy and always strove to excel. "Handles," as Burke was called by many of his friends, continued his high school athletic career by starring on the company basketball and touch football teams for four years. Burke was always the first man for parties on the football weekends or on leave, and could be found comfortably sleeping anytime the books didn't press too closely. Still he could always be depended on to make wise decisions and to turn-to when a problem presented itself.
BURKE WARD
Coronado, California
Burke, a Navy Junior and a graduate of Brown Military Academy, was no stranger to the military system. From the early days of plebe year, Burke took a keen interest in the Navy and always strove to excel. "Handles," as Burke was called by many of his friends, continued his high school athletic career by starring on the company basketball and touch football teams for four years. Burke was always the first man for parties on the football weekends or on leave, and could be found comfortably sleeping anytime the books didn't press too closely. Still he could always be depended on to make wise decisions and to turn-to when a problem presented itself.
Loss
Burke was lost on December 15, 1959 when the A4D Skyhawk he was piloting crashed at Crow’s Landing, California. He was a member of Attack Squadron (VA) 125.
Other Information
From Appeal Democrat of Marysville, California on December 16, 1959:
Lt (jg) Burke Ward, 25, son of Vice Adm. James H. Ward, San Francisco, died Tuesday when his plane overturned and burned In an emergency landing at Crow's Landing. The Navy flier crashed when he attempted to make a landing when his A4D Skyhawk's hydraulic system failed.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Burke only had one month to go in a six-month special course at Moffett Field when he crashed. He was practicing touch and go landings when he developed hydraulic system trouble. He tried to do an arrested landing, but the plane skipped over the wire, bounced, and crashed at the end of the runway.
In March 1952, Burke was given Honorable Mention on the All-Southern (Prep) League for basketball.
His father James was a retired vice admiral. His mother was Flo, and his brother was Hugh.
In 1940, they lived in Annapolis. In November 1941, his family arrived in Honolulu, and in February 1942, they sailed back to San Francisco. In 1950 they lived in Washington, D. C.
He has a memorial plate on a seat at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Photographs
From The San Francisco Examiner on December 16, 1959
Related Articles
Bobby Broome '57 and Sherwood Gifford '57 were also in 10th Company.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.