David Burke

Colonel Burke was born in Portland, Oregon, and grew up in nearby Oregon City, Oregon. He earned a BS in Mathematics at the University or Oregon in 1967, receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps on 11 June 1967 and graduating from pilot training in August 1968. Colonel Burke earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the University of Northern Colorado in 1976 and a Master’s Degree in Military Science and Strategic Studies at the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1983. He is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Army Command and General Staff College, and the Air War College. He retired from active duty on 1 October 1994. Colonel Burke then served with the Civil Air Patrol as the Liaison Officer for a two-state area, Kansas and Missouri. In July 1997, he transitioned to Senior Aerospace Science Instructor [SASI] for the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, first at Highland Park High School, Topeka, Kansas, and then at Branson High School, Branson, Missouri, serving a total of 18 years at those two schools. Colonel Burke was a Command Pilot with over 860 combat missions during two consecutive tours in Vietnam, over 1250 combat flying hours, and over 5,000 total flight hours in a variety of military and civilian aircraft, including the T-41, T-37, T-38, 0-1E, 0-2, AT-33, F-100, A-7D, T-39, and A-10. His decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with 26 oak leaf clusters, the Vietnam Service Medal with seven devices, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with two devices, the Republic of Vietnam Silver Star, and the republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Colonel Burke put his first uniform on in 1963 as an ROTC Cadet at the University of Oregon, and continued to proudly wear the Air Force Blue, with very few breaks, for over 54 years. He was a hero, a teacher, a leader, a motivator, and an inspiration to many. Colonel Burke is survived by his beloved wife Nancy, their four children, Russell, Jeffrey and his spouse Amber, Katherine, Victoria and her spouse Brian Taylor, one Grandchild, Coen, and a brother, Harold. Celebration of Life Service will be held at Williams Memorial Chapel of the College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Missouri on September 28th, 2019 at 1:00pm.