About Arleigh Burke
Arleigh Albert Burke (October 19, 1901 – January 1, 1996) was an admiral of the United States Navy who distinguished himself during World War II and the Korean War, and who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with Aegis Combat System-equipped guided missiles, was commissioned in Burke's honor in 1991. It was only the fifth time the honor of having a US naval vessel named after a living figure had been bestowed since 1861. == Early life and naval career == Burke was born in Boulder, Colorado, on October 19, 1901, to Oscar Burke and Clara Mokler. His grandfather, August Björkgren, was a Swedish immigrant to the US and changed his surname to 'Burke', a common American surname of Irish origin, to sound more American. Due to the 1918 influenza outbreak, schools were closed in Boulder and he never graduated from high school. Burke won an alternate nomination to the United States Naval Academy given by his local congressman. He was then appointed by the Secretary of the Navy on behalf of the President. During his time at the academy, Burke was a member of 23rd Company. He graduated from the academy in June 1923, and was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy.
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