Edward Burke Burdett (1921 - 1967)

Brigadier General Edward Burdett was a Prisoner of War for 1 day during the Vietnam War.

Brig. Gen. Edward Burdett served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: Jun 1943
Unit(s): 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron
Service ended: 1946

Biography

Brigadier General Edward Burdett served in the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War
Service started: Aug 1967
Unit(s): 388th Tactical Fighter Wing/Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand
Service ended: Sep 1967

Birth and Early Life

Brig. Gen. Edward Burke Burdett was born on 10 March 1921 in Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, United States to William Carter Burdett (3 February 1884 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee - 14 January 1944 in Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand) and Elizabeth Hardwick Burke (28 July 1895 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia - 25 March 1977 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia) as the second of four children. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

His father was a Foreign Service Officer who served all over the world. Sometimes the family accompanied him, but usually they kept their base in Georgia, United States. He does show up on the passenger lists with his parents in May 1924 coming out of Southampton, Hampshire, England when he was 3 years old and again in 1929 coming out of London when he was 8. He accompanied his parents returning from France in 1930.

Siblings

1. William Carter Burdett Jr. born 25 October 1918 in Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA. He married Marlys Maxine Hanson (born 20 February 1924 in Rolling Prairie, Foster, North Dakota, USA - 12 March 2011 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, USA) on 10 March 1956. He died on 11 March 1995 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, USA.
2. Agnes Elizabeth Burdett born 22 August 1923 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Aquitaine, France. She married Angus Burr Domingos, Jr. (25 March 1920 in Georgia, USA - 18 August 1975 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia, USA) in 1956. She died on 26 November 1995 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia, USA.
3. Mary Elizabeth Burdett born 20 October 1931 in Bellavista, Callao, Peru.

Education

Ed attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York between 1939 and 1943.

Marriage and Family

He married Anne C. Richardson (31 May 1921 Macon, Bibb, Georgia-25 Nov 2011 Osprey Village, Fernandina Beach, Nassau, Florida) in 1943.

Children of the Burdett-Richardson Marriage

1. Anne Burdett, known as Nan, born 4 December 1944. Married Mr. Sands.
2. Edward Burdett Jr.

Military Service

He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps on 1 June 1943 upon graduation from West Point. Lieutenant Burdett trained to be a pilot while he was still at West Point and had received his wings in March 1943 before graduating.

He completed training to fly the P-38 Lightning. His assignment was to the 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron as a reconnaissance pilot in the China-Burma-India Theater from April 1944 to May 1945.

The United States Army Air Corps became the United States Air Force in 1947 and he was in the Air Force from 1947 to 1967.

Next he flew the RF-80 Shooting Stars after the war and the RF-84 Thunderflash reconnaissance aircraft in the Panama Canal Zone from January 1950 to December 1952. August 1954 to July 1957 he served with the Military Assistance Command in Italy and then from August 1957 to August 1962 he went to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Hampton, Virginia.

He was Commander of the 50th Combat Support Group at Hahn Air Base near Kirchberg, West Germany from April 1964 to June 1965. Next he was Vice Wing Commander of the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing still at Hahn Air Base, West Germany. From West Germany, he was assigned in July 1965 to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, Suffolk, England as Commander of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing

Colonel Burdett left England in August 1967 to serve as the Commander of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. He flew the F-105 Thunderchief. While on a combat mission over Phuc Yen Airfield in North Vietnam. It is thought that he was immediately captured and badly injured. He was in the first of three Thunderchiefs lost that day over Vinh Phu Province. He died of his injuries, according to his Vietnamese captors, later that same day. It is not known whether he died from complications of injuries or only from being tortured. He was Missing in Action for years. ^[4] His airplane was so damaged when he was hit that it was sent into an uncontrollable spin in overcast clouds. No ejection was seen or parachute observed. The Vietnamese give the day of his death as the day of the accident; however they definitely had custody of his body, living or dead.

Prisoner of War from 18 November 1967 to 19 November 1967. ^[5]

He was promoted to Brigadier General after he was listed as Missing in Action. General Burdett fought in World War II, the Cold War and the Vietnam War.

He was actually Missing in Action for his family until 1974. The Vietnamese returned his remains to the United States on 6 March 1974.

Honors

His Silver Star Citation

Colonel Edward B. Burdett distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force over North Vietnam on 30 September 1967. On that date, Colonel Burdett led a twenty ship strike force to a successful attack against a high priority military target. The destruction of this bridge seriously restricts the flow of military supplies to the hostile forces in South Vietnam. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Colonel Burdett has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

1. Silver Star Medal.
2. Legion of Merit with 1 Bronze Leaf Cluster.
3. Distinguished Flying Cross with 4 Bronze Leaf Clusters.
4. Soldier's Medal.
5. Purple Heart.
6. Air Medal with 1 Silver Leaf Cluster.
7. Air ForceCommendation Medal.
8. Army Commendation Medal.

The full ribbon set is available here.

Death and Burial

His family only knew that he was missing until his remains were returned. Gen Burdett died on 18 November 1967 according to the North Vietnamese. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington, Virginia. Plot: Section 11, Site 115-2 Find A Grave: Memorial #137046364

Sources

• 1924 Passenger List. 17 May 1924 on the SS Republic with parents going from Southampton, Hampshire, England to the Port of New York on 28 May 1924.
• 1929 Passenger List. 26 April 1929 on the SS American Merchant going from London, London, England to Port of New York on 6 May 1929 with parents.
• 1930 United States Federal Census. 1 April in Brussels Belgium, Consular Service, USA. Father is the Consul at Brussels.
• 1930 Passenger List. 2 July 1930 on the SS George Washington going from Cherbourg, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France to Port of New York on 10 July 1930 with parents.
• 1940 United States Federal Census on 13 April at West Point Military Academy, Highlands, Orange, New York. ^[6]
• U.S. Social Security Death Index.
• U.S. Vietnam War Military Casualties, 1956-1998.
• Arlington Bio at **[1]
• Ruston Daily Leader, Ruston, Louisiana on 23 December 1970, page 8 entitled: List of U.S. Prisoners in North Vietnam. They are broken down by state of record (not birth). Ed is in the unlisted town section, died 18 November 1967.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Vet Trib
2. ↑ 1930 Fed Cen
3. ↑ 1940 Fed Cen
4. ↑ Arlington Bio
5. ↑ NAM POW List
6. ↑ 1940: Burdett, Edward B. is a 19 year old cadet. 4 years high school. In 1935 he lived in Balboa, Panama Canal Zone.

Acknowledgements