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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
901 M STREET SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Burke (DE-215, later APD-65), 1943-1968

USS Burke, a 1400-ton Buckley class escort ship built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, was commissioned in August 1943. She served in the Atlantic on convoy escort duties until January 1945, when she began conversion to a high speed transport. Redesignated APD-65, Burke was sent to the Pacific in May 1945. She supported Underwater Demolition Teams, acted as a radar picket and escort, and performed general transport duties in the western Pacific area during the remaining months of World War II and in the immediate post-war period. Returning to the Atlantic in December 1945, she operated off the U.S. east coast and in the Caribbean area until decommissioned in June 1949.

Burke was in "mothballs" until July 1968, when she was transferred to Colombia. Under the name Almirante Brion, she served in the Colombian navy until 1974.

This page features our only view related to USS Burke and provides information on other photographs that may be available from the National Archives.

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 71599

Surrender of Japan, 1945

Lieutenant Commander Edward Porter Clayton, USN, (center, back to camera) Commanding Officer of Underwater Demolition Team 21, receiving the first sword surrendered to an American force in the Japanese Home islands. The surrender was made by a Japanese Army Coast Artillery Major (standing opposite LCdr. Clayton) at Futtsu-misaki, across Tokyo Bay from Yokosuka Navy Base on 28 August 1945. Members of UDT-21 had landed from USS Burke (APD-65), whose boats are beached in this view.
Identifications of many of the UDT-21 members present are provided in NH 71599 (complete caption).

Courtesy of Mr. Robert A. Winters, Mine Advisory Committee, National Academy of Sciences, 1970.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 


While the Naval Historical Center has no other views of USS Burke, the National Archives appears to hold additional photographs. The following list features some of these images:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.".


  • Photo #: 80-G-235210
    USS Burke (DE-215) anchored in New York Harbor, 9 June 1944, with a barge moored to her starboard quarter. Port bow aerial view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-235211
    USS Burke (DE-215) anchored in New York Harbor, 9 June 1944, with a barge moored to her starboard quarter. Port broadside aerial view.

  • Photo #: 80-G-235212
    USS Burke (DE-215) anchored in New York Harbor, 9 June 1944, with a barge moored to her starboard quarter. Port stern aerial view.


  • Photo #: 80-G-316763
    USS Burke (APD-65), underway on 24 April 1945, following conversion to a high speed transport. Port broadside aerial view, showing the ship in pattern camouflage.

  • Photo #: 80-G-316764
    USS Burke (APD-65), underway on 24 April 1945. Port bow aerial view, relatively distant.

  • Photo #: 80-G-316762
    USS Burke (APD-65), underway on 24 April 1945. Port stern aerial view, relatively distant.


    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.".


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    14 March 1999