PHOTO-ADMIRAL ARLEIGH A. BURKE

Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN.
Chief of Naval Operations

Black and White Photo of Admiral Burke as he addresses a U.S. Naval Academy pep rally on 23 November 1960, on the eve of that year's Army-Navy football game.

Admiral Arleigh Albert '31-knot' Burke
(October 19, 1901 - January 1, 1996)
Admiral Burke received numerous combat awards during his forty-two years in the Navy including the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Cross, Legion of Merit, and the Purple Heart.

He was an admiral of the United States Navy who distinguished himself during World War II and the Korean War. Admiral Burke served an unprecedented three terms as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.

His nickname,"31-knot Burke," originally intended to taunt, was given to him after a boiler accident limited his squadron to 31 knots, rather than the full 34 knots they were capable of. He usually pushed his destroyers to just under boiler-bursting speed, and the nickname became a popular symbol of his unrelenting and hard-charging nature.

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