On that day, while the ship was off the coast of Eastport, Maine, he and two shipmates rescued two sailors from the USS Winooski from drowning.

For this action, he and his shipmates, Seaman Richard Bates and Captain of the After-guard John Brown, were awarded the Medal of Honor three months later, on August 1, 1866.

[1][2] Burke's official Medal of Honor citation reads: For heroic conduct, with two comrades, in rescuing from drowning James Rose and John Russell, seamen, of the U.S.S.

He was later buried at St. Michael's Church in the town of Pensacola, Florida in 1883, as evidenced in his pension file.

Many officials and others have played a role in solving this problem over the past few years, including the dedicated staff at St. Elizabeth's, and the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the US, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the National Cemeteries Administration, and others.