Medal of Honor: Robert C. Burke - Vietnam War - May 17, 1968

Name: Robert C. Burke
Rank: Private First Class
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
War: Vietnam War
Unit: Company I, 3d Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), FMF
Date of Action: May 17, 1968
Location: Southern Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam

Summary of Action

On 17 May 1968, during Operation ALLEN BROOK in Quang Nam Province, Private First Class Robert C. Burke displayed extraordinary heroism during a brutal engagement against a heavily concealed North Vietnamese force.

As Company I approached a dry river bed near the hamlet of Le Nam, the Marines suddenly came under devastating enemy fire.

Mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, automatic weapons, and small-arms fire erupted from fortified positions hidden within the treeline.

The violent ambush halted the Marine advance and wounded several men.

Realizing the company could not move forward or evacuate casualties unless the enemy strongpoints were destroyed, Burke acted immediately.

Without waiting for orders, he seized his machine gun and launched a one-man assault against the enemy emplacements.

Moving aggressively to the edge of the steep river bank, Burke delivered accurate suppressive fire into multiple bunkers, allowing fellow Marines to advance and move wounded men to safety.

During the fight, he identified an enemy automatic weapons position and poured devastating fire into it, killing three North Vietnamese soldiers as they attempted to escape.

Burke then continued maneuvering from one exposed position to another, repeatedly silencing enemy fire despite the storm of bullets directed at him.

When his machine gun malfunctioned, he refused to stop fighting.

Grabbing a fallen Marine’s rifle and hand grenades, he charged deeper into the enemy positions and destroyed another pocket of resistance, killing two more enemy soldiers.

Soon afterward, another Marine repaired Burke’s machine gun.

Taking the weapon once more, Burke advanced into an even more exposed position and unleashed intense fire into the enemy treeline.

While continuing this fearless assault, he was mortally wounded.

Through his relentless attacks and complete disregard for his own safety, Burke helped break the enemy ambush and saved the lives of numerous Marines trapped under fire.

Medal of Honor Citation

BURKE, ROBERT C.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty for service as a machine gunner with Company I. While on Operation ALLEN BROOK, Company I was approaching a dry river bed with a heavily wooded treeline that borders the hamlet of Le Nam (1), when they suddenly came under intense mortar, rocket propelled grenades, automatic weapons and small-arms fire from a large, well concealed enemy force which halted the company’s advance and wounded several marines. Realizing that key points of resistance had to be eliminated to allow the units to advance and casualties to be evacuated, Pfc. Burke, without hesitation, seized his machine gun and launched a series of 1-man assaults against the fortified emplacements. As he aggressively maneuvered to the edge of the steep river bank, he delivered accurate suppressive fire upon several enemy bunkers, which enabled his comrades to advance and move the wounded marines to positions of relative safety. As he continued his combative actions, he located an opposing automatic weapons emplacement and poured intense fire into the position, killing 3 North Vietnamese soldiers as they attempted to flee. Pfc. Burke then fearlessly moved from one position to another, quelling the hostile fire until his weapon malfunctioned. Obtaining a casualty’s rifle and hand grenades, he advanced further into the midst of the enemy fire in an assault against another pocket of resistance, killing 2 more of the enemy. Observing that a fellow marine had cleared his malfunctioning machine gun he grasped his weapon and moved into a dangerously exposed area and saturated the hostile treeline until he fell mortally wounded. Pfc. Burke’s gallant actions upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.