John DOUGLASS Burns

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to John Douglass Burns, Commander, U.S. Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam, in October 1967. Commander Burns’ captors, completely ignoring international agreements, subjected him to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes. Through his resistance to those brutalities, he contributed significantly toward the eventual abandonment of harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese, which was attracting international attention. By his determination, courage, resourcefulness, and devotion to duty, Commander Burns reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.