[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 121 (Thursday, July 25, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H4931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CELEBRATING MAJOR EDWARD BURKE

  (Mr. WENSTRUP asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WENSTRUP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the incredible 
life of Major Edward Arthur Burke, a Cincinnati native and D-day 
veteran who passed away on June 22 at the age of 104 years old.
  Major Burke attended my alma mater, St. Xavier High School. He went 
on to Xavier University and joined the ROTC program in 1938 after 
reading the news of Hitler's march through Europe.
  Upon graduating in 1942, he and his fellow officers were sent to Fort 
Knox to prepare for the historic D-day invasion. Hand-selected by 
General Patton to be commander of the 821st Tank Destroyer Battalion, 
Burke was sent on numerous missions behind enemy lines. He was awarded 
the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the French Legion of Honor for his 
service in Europe.
  At St. Xavier High School, our goal is to be ``Men for Others,'' 
something Major Burke truly embodied. He was willing to put himself in 
harm's way, not just for the betterment of his men, but to protect 
freedom and give liberty an opportunity to thrive. His life is a 
testament to the sacrifices of his generation.
  As yet another member of our Nation's Greatest Generation has found 
eternal peace in Heaven, it is our job not only to remember their 
stories and the bravery they embodied, but to protect the rights and 
freedom that they fought so bravely to save.

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