John Joseph Burke
Captain
HMM-364, MAG-36, 1ST MAW, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
New Hyde Park, New York
July 28, 1943 to February 05, 1968
JOHN J BURKE is on the Wall at Panel 37E, Line 30

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John J Burke
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21 Jul 2003

On Friday, 05 Feb 1968, a CH-46A (BuNo 153986) from Phu Bai was tasked for a medical evacuation flight in the vicinity of Hue City to pick up three seriously wounded Marines. The aircraft was crewed by

While enroute, the aircraft was fired upon by enemy troops. HM1 Ehrhardt was hit by a round which penetrated his right thigh, destroyed the hip socket, and exited from his right buttock. Acting on Ehrhardt's instructions, one of the gunners packed Ehrhardt's entry and exit wounds, splinted his leg with Ehrhardt's M-14, and injected a syrette of morphine. Ehrhardt was placed on a stretcher near the CH-46's rear ramp. After consultation with Ehrhardt, Major Demko continued the mission. As the aircraft approached the pick-up point it again took fire, this time wounding one of the gunners and seriously damaging the aircraft's hydraulic and fuel systems. Although prone on the stretcher, Ehrhardt was able to tend to the gunner's wound. Because of the damage to the aircraft, Demko aborted the mission and attempted to return to Phu Bai.

He was unsuccessful. The CH-46 entered an uncontrolled pitch-up, rolled inverted, crashed, and burned. Demko, Burke, Shelton, and Copeland died in the crash. HM1 Ehrhardt and Cpl Conner were picked up by their wingman, but Conner died of his injuries 15 days later at the USAF Hospital in Cam Rahn Bay. HM1 Ehrhart was evacuated to the 106th Army Hospital in Yokohama, Japan, and eventually recovered from his injuries.

These men, and the other Purple Foxes who served in Vietnam, are remembered by the women who waited at home, whether mothers, sisters, daughters, or friends. Those women, the

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Purple Foxy Ladies

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