John J. Burke

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John J. Burke, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Villers- sur-Fere, France, July 27 – 28, 1918. Lieutenant Burke was instructed by his regimental commander to take four men and locate the position of the assaulting battalion. Upon leaving regimental headquarters he was severely wounded but continued on his mission in the face of unusually heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. He succeeded in locating the battalion only after four hours’ search, constantly under fire, whereupon he returned and reported to his regimental commander.