Career
He played college football at the United States Naval Academy and was a consensus first-team All-American guard in 1928. Burke was raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the United States Naval Academy. At the Academy, he played at the guard position for the Navy Midshipmen football team from 1926 to 1928.
He was a consensus first-team selection to the 1928 College Football All-America Team.
Burke graduated from the Naval Academy in 1929 and spent his entire career in active service with the United States. Navy. During World World War II, he was the commander of two destroyers, the United States Ship Simpson and the United States Ship Plunkett.
He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
