LTJG BURKE WARD, USN

Class 1957

Born August 17, 1934

Died December 15, 1959

Age 25

Hometown Coronado, California

Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1957 Lucky Bag:

BURKE WARD

Burke, a Navy Junior and a graduate of Brown Military Academy, was no stranger to the military system. From the early days of plebe year, Burke took a keen interest in the Navy and always strove to excel. “Handles,” as Burke was called by many of his friends, continued his high school athletic career by starring on the company basketball and touch football teams for four years. Burke was always the first man for parties on the football weekends or on leave, and could be found comfortably sleeping anytime the books didn’t press too closely. Still he could always be depended on to make wise decisions and to turn-to when a problem presented itself.

Loss

Burke was lost on December 15, 1959 when the A4D Skyhawk he was piloting crashed at Crow’s Landing, California. He was a member of Attack Squadron (VA) 125.¹

Other Information

From Appeal Democrat of Marysville, California on December 16, 1959:

Lt (jg) Burke Ward, 25, son of Vice Adm. James H. Ward, San Francisco, died Tuesday when his plane overturned and burned In an emergency landing at Crow’s Landing. The Navy flier crashed when he attempted to make a landing when his A4D Skyhawk’s hydraulic system failed.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Burke only had one month to go in a six-month special course at Moffett Field when he crashed. He was practicing touch and go landings when he developed hydraulic system trouble. He tried to do an arrested landing, but the plane skipped over the wire, bounced, and crashed at the end of the runway.

In March 1952, Burke was given Honorable Mention on the All-Southern (Prep) League for basketball.

His father James was a retired vice admiral. His mother was Flo, and his brother was Hugh.

In 1940, they lived in Annapolis. In November 1941, his family arrived in Honolulu, and in February 1942, they sailed back to San Francisco. In 1950 they lived in Washington, D. C.

He has a memorial plate on a seat at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.