Throughout his professional career, Arleigh Burke had prepared himself for combat with the enemy having served in battleships, destroyers, and having received the degree of Master of Science in Engineering at the University of Michigan. Then, when World War II came, he found himself, to his great disappointment, in a shore billet at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, DC. After persistent effort on his part, he received orders to the South Pacific where, under Admiral William Halsey, he successively commanded Destroyer Division 43, Destroyer Division 44, Destroyer Squadron 12, and Destroyer Squadron 23. This later squadron, known as the "Little Beavers" covered the initial landings in Bougainville in November 1943, and fought in 22 separate engagements during the next four months. During this time, the "Little Beavers" were credited with destroying one Japanese cruiser, nine destroyers, one submarine, several smaller ships, and approximately 30 aircraft. Because he pushed his destroyers just under boiler-bursting speed, he became known as "31-Knot Burke."
From Destroyer Command in the South Pacific, he reported in March 1944 as Chief of Staff to Commander, Fast Carrier Task Force 58, Admiral Marc Mitscher. While serving with this famed carrier force, Arleigh Burke was promoted to commodore, and participated in all its naval engagements until June 1945 shortly before the surrender of Japan. He flew many combat missions. He was aboard both Bunker Hill and Enterprise when they were hit by Japanese suicide planes during the Okinawa campaign.
At the outbreak of the Korean War, Admiral Forrest Sherman, then CNO, ordered Admiral Burke to duty as Deputy Chief of Staff to Commander Naval Forces, Far East. From there, he assumed command of Cruiser Division Five, and in July 1951 he was made a member of United Nations Truce Delegation to negotiate with the Communists for military armistice in Korea. After six months in the truce tents, he returned to the Office of Chief of Naval Operations where he served as Director of Strategic Plans Division until 1954.
In April 1954, he took command of Cruiser Division Six, and in January 1955 assumed command of Destroyer Force Atlantic Fleet in which capacity he served until he succeeded Admiral Robert B. Carney as Chief of Naval Operations in August 1955. He served an unprecedented three terms in that duty before being transferred to the Retired List on 1 August 1961.
USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), the lead ship of her class of Aegis guided missile destroyers, was named in his honor.
Burke died on 1 January, 1996, at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He was 94 years old.
Admiral Burke received numerous combat awards during his forty-two years in the Navy including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Cross, the Legion of Merit, and the Purple Heart. But none are more cherished than two awards which came early in his career. In 1928 while serving aboard USS Procyon, he was commended for the "rescue of shipwrecked and seafaring men," and in 1939 while serving in his first command, USS Mugford, he was commended when his destroyer won the fleet gunnery trophy with the highest score that had been achieved in many years. His ship also stood third in engineering competition and high in communication competition.
For his service in Destroyer Squadron 23, Admiral Burke was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Cross, the Legion of Merit, and is entitled to the Ribbon for, and a facsimile of, the Presidential Unit Citation awarded Destroyer Squadron 23. The citations follow in part:
List of Citations
Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Cross
Legion of Merit (with Combat "V")
Presidential Unit Citation to Destroyer Squadron 23
Gold Star in lieu of Second Distinguished Service Medal
As Chief of Staff, Commander Fast Carrier Task Force, Pacific (Task Force 38), Admiral Burke was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of the Second Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star Medal, a Gold Star in lieu of the Second Legion of Merit, and a Letter of Commendation, with authorization to wear the Commends Ribbon. The citations follow in part:
Silver Star Medal
Gold Star in lieu of the Second Legion of Merit
Letter of Commendation
Presidential Unit Citations
Admiral Burke is also entitled to wear the Presidential Unit Citation presented to the USS Bunker Hill,
the Presidential Unit Citation presented to the USS Lexington, and the Navy Unit Commendation presented to the USS Enterprise. Those vessels were, at various times during his period of service, flagships of the Fast Carrier Task Forces in the Pacific.Gold Star in lieu of the third Legion of Merit
From September 1950 until May 1951, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Far East, and, for "exceptionally meritorious conduct (in that capacity) from 3 September 1950 to 1 January 1951..." he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of the third Legion of Merit. The citation further states:
Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of the Fourth Legion of Merit
While serving as Commander Cruiser Division Five from May to September 1951, and also as a Member of the [Military Armistice Commission]] in Korea, Admiral Burke was awarded an oak leaf cluster in lieu of the Fourth Legion of Merit by the Army (Headquarters U.S. Army Forces, Far East) by General Order #5, as follows:
Others
In addition to the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal with two Gold Stars, the Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars and Oak Leaf Cluster (Army), the Silver Star, the Commendation Ribbon, the Purple Heart Medal (for wounds received while serving on board the USS Conway during July 1943), the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with three stars, and the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Admiral Burke earned the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two silver stars and two bronze stars (twelve engagements); the American Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal, Europe Clasp; the National Defense Service Medal; the Philippine Liberation Ribbon; Korean Service Medal; and United Nations Service Medal. He also has been awarded the Ui Chi Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation from the Republic of Korea and the Order of the Rising Sun, First Class by the Government of Japan.