James Francis Burke, Jr

The database page for James Francis Burke, Jr

25 Mar 2001 Remembered from flight training A nice guy who thought helicopters were neat. I didn't know what happened to him until today - by accident I found that he was assigned to Helicopter Light Attack Squadron 3 in the Mekong Delta area, flying support for the Riverine forces. Det 3, HA(L)-3 was at Vinh Long Airfield, and Jim died while flying with an Army outfit , the 114th Assault Helicopter Company, also based at Vinh Long. He was the co-pilot of a UH-1C (hull number 66-00651). They had been the command and control ship on a night "firefly" mission, conducting armed recon with two gunships. On return to base, they encountered a violent thunderstorm just short of the Vinh Long runway, lost control, and crashed. The gunships had landed first, avoiding the worst of the storm. Five men were aboard the aircraft; four died in the crash: 1LT Paul S. Colvin, Culpeper, VA, pilot, 114TH AHC, 13th Avn Bn ENS James F. Burke, Yonkers, NY, copilot, HA(L)-3, TF 116 SP4 Ernst Riley, Kuttawa, KY, crew chief, 114TH AHC, 13th Avn Bn CPT Gustave F. Gudleske, Rhinelander, WI, Advisory Team 52, MACV Advisors The fifth, door gunner Cpl T. E. Fluery, was injured but survived. God rest their souls. Visit the SEAWOLVES

The point-of-contact for this memorial is a friend, Ken Davis virtualwall@alltel.net  25 Mar 2001

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Channing Prothro, former CAP Marine
Last updated 01/19/2004