Edward Burke (American football)
Edward Joseph Burke (November 2, 1907 – August 19, 1967) was an American football player and officer in the United States Navy. He played college football at the United States Naval Academy and was a consensus first-team All-American guard in 1928. He thereafter served in the United States Navy, was the commanding officer of two destroyers during World War II, and attained the rank of rear admiral. Early life Burke was born in Larksville, Pennsylvania. Burke was raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1925. At the Academy, he played at the guard position for the Navy Midshipmen football team from 1926 to 1928. He was captain of the team in 1928. He was a consensus first-team selection to the 1928 College Football All-America Team. Burke graduated from the Naval Academy in 1929. Career Burke spent his entire career in active service with the U.S. Navy. During World War II, he was the commander of two destroyers, and . He received the Legion of Merit for his actions while commander of the USS Plunkett to rescue survivors from a burning hospital ship during the 1943 invasion of Italy. He received the Navy Cross