Lt. Perry Burke

Submitted by: Paul Burgholzer

Lt. Perry Burke served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Unknown.

Lt. Perry Burke was a rebellious young man. He attended Spring Hill College presumably for boarding purposes, which he ran away from twice. He eventually went to LSU which was a military school during that time. While attending the school as an underclassman he developed a strong dislike for an upperclassman officer. One day during a disagreement with the officer Perry threw a porcelain coffee cup at him. The officer was struck in the head and Perry’s days at LSU were finished.

Perry found work on a plantation where he would frequently need to be on horseback. Once America entered the war Perry and his friend named, Tom Jones, started a company of soldiers with the desire to go fight in Europe. Perry’s unit was turned into a Calvary company where he rode a horse and carried a saber. Perry's rebellious days were behind him as he became a family man and served as a Lieutenant for the US Army.

As Lt. Perry Burke looked like an officer from the previous century as he rode on horseback, his close cousin, Lt. David Ker, who flew as an observer in the Army Air Force was operating the newest military technology of 1918. Ker died in combat and Perry Burke kept a photo of him in his room for the rest of his life. Perry also kept the book “All Quiet on the Western Front” in his room and frequently read it.

Perry’s story was brought to the WWI Centennial Commission’s attention by his son, Porteus Richard Burke.