View source for SS John Burke

{{Short description|American Liberty ship}}
{{Good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= SS John Burke.jpg
|Ship caption=SS ''John Burke'' on 10  May 1944, north west of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1944}}
|Ship name=''John Burke''
|Ship namesake=[[John Burke (North Dakota politician)|John Burke]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship operator= [[Northland Transportation Company]] of [[Seattle]]
|Ship owner=       [[War Shipping Administration]]
|Ship builder=[[Oregon Shipbuilding Company]], [[Portland, OR]]
|Ship laid down=20 November 1942<ref name="maritime">{{cite web |url=http://www.usmaritimecommission.de/query.php?datalist=1&typeofquery=Name%20of%20Ship&valueofquery=John%20Burke&code=B0609a|title = US Maritime Commission}}</ref>
|Ship launched=15 December 1942<ref name="maritime" />
|Ship acquired=23 December 1942<ref name="maritime" />
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship fate=Lost 28 December 1944 off Negros island, and Siquijor island due to Kamikaze strike
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type= [[Liberty ship]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|14245|LT|t|0|lk=in|abbr=on}}<ref name="ww2ships">{{cite web|url=http://ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf|title=Liberty cargo ship briefing|publisher=ww2ships.com|access-date=11 November 2012}}</ref>
|Ship gross tonnage=7,225<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship net tonnage=4,397<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship length={{convert|422|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship beam={{convert|57|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship draft={{convert|27|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship hold depth={{convert|34|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship propulsion=Two oil-fired boilers, triple-expansion steam engine, single screw, {{convert|2500|hp|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship speed={{convert|11|kn|lk=in}}<ref name="ww2ships" />
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=40 crew, 28 Armed Guard, 68 total
|Ship armament=2 × [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}}]], 8 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] guns<ref name="rieley">Rieley pp 152, 153</ref>
|Ship armor=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''SS ''John Burke''''' ([[United States Maritime Commission|MC]] hull number 609) was an American [[Liberty Ship]] built during [[World War II]], one of the 2,710 type 'EC2-S-C1' ships that carried all kinds and types of dry cargo during the war.<ref name="shipyard">{{cite web|url=http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencylarge/wwtwo/koregon.htm |title=Oregon Shipbuilding |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714231330/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencylarge/wwtwo/koregon.htm |archive-date=2014-07-14 }}</ref> The ship was named for [[John Burke (North Dakota politician)|John Burke]] (February 25, 1859 – May 14, 1937), the 10th Governor of North Dakota. ''Burke'' was built at [[Kaiser Shipyards|Kaiser Shipbuilding Company's]] [[Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation|Oregon Shipbuilding]] yard in [[Portland, Oregon]]. ''Burke's'' keel was laid November 20, 1942<ref name="shipyard" /> and the hull was launched on December 13.<ref name="shipyard" /> After [[fitting-out]], ''Burke'' was delivered to the US Maritime Commission on December 23,<ref name="shipyard" /> just 33 days after construction began. The War Shipping Administration then placed ''Burke'' under management of the [[Eric Wickman#Historic list of companies involved as founder|Northland Transportation Company]].<ref name="maritime" />

On December 28, 1944, while transporting ammunition to [[Mindoro]], Philippines, ''Burke'' was hit by a Japanese [[kamikaze]] aircraft, and disintegrated in a tremendous explosion with the loss of all hands, approximately 68 merchant marine sailors and armed guards.<ref name=USMM01/><ref>Cressman, pp 597-599</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uss-stevens-dd479.us/KamikazeIncidnt.htm|title=Eyewitness account}}</ref>  ''John Burke'' was one of three Liberty Ships<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/background/ships-sunk/index.htm|title=William S. Ladd, 10 Dec 1944; John Burke, 28 Dec 1944; Lewis L. Dyche, 5 Jan 1945|access-date=28 October 2012|archive-date=2 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702024423/http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/background/ships-sunk/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> and one of forty-seven ships sunk by kamikaze attack during World War II.<ref name="47sunk">{{cite web |url=http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/background/ships-sunk/index.htm |title=47 Ships Sunk by Kamikaze Aircraft |access-date=2012-10-28 |archive-date=2010-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702024423/http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/background/ships-sunk/index.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Construction and design==
[[File:Planlibertyship.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=A color-coded diagram of compartments on a ship|A color-coded diagram of compartments on a Liberty ship, from the starboard side, bow to the right
{{Div col|colwidth=10em}}
{{legend|#44ce35|Machinery spaces}}
{{legend|#fcfd1d|Command and control}}
{{legend|#f8632e|Liquid stores}}
{{legend|#a2fffe|Dry cargo}}
{{legend|#163098|Engine room}}
{{legend|#cbcbcb|Misc}}
{{legend|#cbfc82|Dry stores}}
{{legend|#9991fe|Habitation}}
{{Div col end}}]]
''John Burke'' was powered by two oil-fired boilers and a single {{convert|2500|hp|0|abbr=on}} [[marine steam engine#Vertical|vertical]] type, [[marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion]] [[reciprocating engine|reciprocating]] [[marine steam engine|steam engine]]. The machinery space (dark blue in the picture) was at the middle of the ship. The single [[propeller]] was driven through a long propeller shaft that ran through a tunnel (lower green area in the picture) under the aft cargo holds. The propeller rotated at 76 rpm, giving a speed of about {{convert|11|kn|lk=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/engineroom.php|title=Liberty ship engineroom|publisher=www.liberty-ship.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619082629/http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/engineroom.php|archive-date=2012-06-19}}</ref> There were two decks running the full length of the ship, with seven watertight [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] dividing the machinery space and five cargo holds (light blue in the picture), three ahead of the machinery space and two [[aft]].  Crew accommodations were provided in a large three-deck structure located in the middle of the ship (medium blue in the picture) directly above the machinery space, and in a small structure (medium blue in the picture) located at the [[stern]]. The bridge, radio room and Captain's quarters were on the top deck (yellow in the picture) of the three-deck structure. The fuel for the boiler was carried in several tanks (red in the picture) located throughout the ship. Ship's storage (light green in the picture) was located at the bow and above the machinery space. Gun crew quarters and the ship's hospital were in the stern structure. When the ship was armed, the [[Barbette|gun 'tubs']] (white in the picture) were located at the bow, stern and above the bridge. These could be any mixture of [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}]] caliber gun, [[4-inch/50-caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|2}}]], [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}}]], [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{convert|40|mm|in|2}}]], [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon#Description|{{convert|20|mm|in|2}}]] and/or [[M2 Browning|{{convert|.5|in|mm|2}} caliber]] guns.

The ship's steering was by a contrabalanced rudder (black, at left in the picture), with its associated steering gear located in a compartment (green in the picture) above the rudder and below the aft structure. Steam-powered generators provided electric power for radios, navigation equipment, refrigeration compressors, pumps, lighting, and [[degaussing]]. An [[Evaporator (marine)|evaporator]] produced fresh water for the boilers and for the crew.
Large [[trapdoor|hatches]] above the cargo holds allowed steam winches and booms rigged to three centerline masts to quickly load or unload cargo.<ref name="victory">{{cite web| url=http://www.lanevictory.org/laneVtour_mast_boom.php| title=Hoist, masts and rigging| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319020028/http://www.lanevictory.org/laneVtour_mast_boom.php| archive-date=2016-03-19}}</ref>

==History==
Liberty ships were an expedient solution to a pressing problem, and it was never intended that they last more than five years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/116liberty_victory_ships/116facts1.htm|publisher=National Park Service|title=Liberty ship facts (6th paragraph)|access-date=2012-11-18|archive-date=2005-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308175723/http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/116liberty_victory_ships/116facts1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is remarkable that two ([[SS John W. Brown|SS ''John W. Brown'']] and [[SS Jeremiah O'Brien|SS ''Jeremiah O'Brien'']]) have not only survived seventy plus years of service, but that they are in 'like-new' condition, and are open to the public as museums. The British needed a way to replace the ships lost to German U-boats, but did not have the resources to build them.<ref name="ww2ships"/> In 1939, they asked the United States to help solve the problem, bringing a ship design that they wanted built. The design was modified to fit American production methods, and five new shipyards were built to give the shipbuilding industry capacity. These ships were called [[Ocean ship]]s with each ship's name starting with Ocean.<ref name="ww2ships" />

The United States needed more ships as war approached. The 'Ocean' design was revised and simplified to allow mass production. This new design was the basis for the Liberty ship.<ref name="ww2ships" /> On December 7, 1941 Japan [[attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked the military bases at Hawaii]], Guam, and a few days later, the Philippines. Liberty ships carried weapons, ammunition, food, tools, hardware, vehicles, and other things for the war effort. They could also be equipped to carry a large number<ref name="build">{{cite web| url=http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/liberty_ships/BuildingLibertyShips/index.html#config| title=Liberty Ship design and construction}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> of troops by rigging bunks in the holds similar to those used by the armed guard.<ref name="brown">{{cite web|url=http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/cargoholds.php |title=Virtual tour of a Liberty ship's hold |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619082548/http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/cargoholds.php |archive-date=2012-06-19 }}</ref> Liberty ships began taking troops and materials wherever they were needed, crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.<ref name="ww2ships" /> Like other Liberty Ships, ''John Burke'' transported war materials between the United States and the [[rear (military)|rear areas]] of the [[Pacific War]], often calling at [[Pearl Harbor]], [[Australia]], [[Guadalcanal]], [[Jayapura|Hollandia]] and [[Manaus]].

On what would be her final trip in late 1944, ''Burke'' departed [[Seattle, Washington]] for [[Guam]], where she spent several days loading munitions for the invasion force on the island of [[Battle of Mindoro|Mindoro]].<ref name="browning">Browning, p 470</ref> ''Burke'' then departed with the 100-ship "Uncle Plus 13" convoy, bound for [[Leyte]] in the [[Philippines]]. The convoy arrived at Leyte the night of December 27.<ref name="wreck">{{cite web|url=http://wikimapia.org/18433353/Wreck-of-SS-John-Burke|title=Wreck of SS John Burke|publisher=wikimapia.org}}</ref>

Japanese forces were alerted to the convoy's arrival shortly before daybreak on December 28. A flight of six Japanese [[kamikaze]] fighter/bombers was sent up from [[Cebu|Cebu Island]] shortly after dawn.<ref name="wreck" />  If the convoy was destroyed, the U.S. forces on Mindoro would be cut off from their supply line.

That morning ''Burke'' and the other ships in the Mindoro-bound TG 77.11 (under the command of Captain George F. Mentz<ref name="mentz">{{cite web| url=http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=9825| title=Captain Mentz' Navy Cross| access-date=2012-10-31| archive-date=2012-06-09| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609004243/http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=9825| url-status=dead}}</ref>) were at [[general quarters]] shortly after receiving the dawn weather report that reported that air cover would not launch until the poor weather cleared. The crews began their wait for the inevitable arrival of Japanese aircraft.

==Destruction ==
At about 0815 hours, the first kamikaze appeared on the American ships' [[radar]], and orders were given for the convoy to begin evasive maneuvering.<ref name="bush1">{{cite web | url=http://www.ussbush.com/mindoro.htm|title=USS Bush (DD 529)'s deck log for Thursday 28 December 1944 8-12 watch}}</ref> Through holes in the clouds, the Japanese pilots sighted the American force as it steamed south of [[Cebu]] and [[Bohol]] Islands. The Japanese aircraft were three [[A6M Zero]] fighters of the 201st Air Group, which had taken off from Cebu at 0950 were led by Lt. Masami Hoshino (星野政己) and each carried a 250&nbsp;kg bomb.<ref name="modelart">Model Art No.458 Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kogeki-Tai pp 160</ref> Diving through [[anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft fire]] and despite damage to his aircraft, the Japanese pilot crashed between ''Burke'''s #2 and #3 cargo holds.<ref name="browning" />

A brief flash of fire was visible and for several seconds, only smoke could be seen billowing from her hold. A few seconds later, a huge pillar of fire shot out of ''Burke's'' cargo hold, followed by an immense cloud of white smoke<ref name="bush1" /> before an enormous [[blast wave]] and fireball erupted as her cargo of munitions detonated, instantly destroying the ship and killing her crew of 40 [[merchant marine]] sailors and 28<ref name=USMM01>{{cite web|title=Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged during 1944|url=http://www.usmm.org/sunk44.html#anchor412649|work=usmm.org}}</ref> or 29<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.armed-guard.com/sunk.html|title=Merchant sailors and armed guard losses}}</ref> armed guards. For several seconds, ''Burke'' was not visible under a mushroom cloud of smoke, fire and explosions. Several ships nearby were damaged by the force of the blast and flying debris.<ref name="bush1" /> The shockwave rocked the entire convoy with ships reporting that they had been torpedoed.  A US Army "FS" type ship just aft of ''Burke'' was severely damaged by the blast, sinking before it could be identified.<ref name="rieley" /> As the cloud of smoke cleared, nearby ships closed on ''Burke'''s former position to search for survivors but ''Burke'', and all aboard her, were lost.

The Combat Air Patrol arrived at 1213 after the weather cleared, providing air cover for the next three hours.<ref name="bush2">{{cite web | url=http://www.ussbush.com/mindoro.htm|title=USS Bush (DD 529)'s deck log for Thursday 28 December 1944 12-16 watch}}</ref>

The Japanese attack that morning was the beginning of a two-day series of attacks on the convoy, sinking several more ships and costing hundreds of lives. The force reached its destination at 0648 December 30 with materials for the Mindoro invasion.<ref name="bush3">{{cite web | url=http://www.ussbush.com/mindoro.htm|title=USS Bush (DD 529)'s deck log for Saturday 30 December 1944 4-8 watch}}</ref>

Today, SS ''John Burke's'' fragments lie {{convert|1500|ft|m|0}} below the surface, in the vicinity of {{Coord|9|1|11|N|123|26|50|E|display=inline}},<ref>Location on Google Maps</ref> the location the ship was last seen, in the strait between [[Negros (island)|Negros]], [[Siquijor]]  Islands and [[Dapitan]], [[Zamboanga del Norte]], [[Mindanao]], Philippines.<ref name="wreck" />

==See also==
* [[List of Liberty ships]]
* [[Ocean ship]]

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}
;Bibliography
* {{Citation|title = The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II|year = 1999|author = Cressman, Robert J.| publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn = 978-1557501493|url-access = registration|url = https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialChronologyOfTheUSNavyInWorldWarII}}
* {{Citation|last1  = Browning Jr.| first1 = Robert M.| title= U.S. Merchant Vessel War Casualties of World War II| publisher = Naval Institute Press| place= Annapolis, Maryland| edition = 1st| year = 1996|isbn=978-1557500878}}
* {{Citation| last  = Rieley| first = Robin L.| title  = Kamikaze Attacks of World War II| publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.| date = 2010| isbn = 978-0-7864-4654-4}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.uss-stevens-dd479.us/KamikazeIncidnt.htm|title=A KAMIKAZE INCIDENT By: Robert T. Hill|publisher=www.uss-stevens-dd479.us|access-date=4 November 2012}}
* {{cite web|title=Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged during 1944|url=http://www.usmm.org/sunk44.html#anchor412649|work=usmm.org|publisher=American Merchant Marine at War|access-date=1 November 2012}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencylarge/wwtwo/koregon.htm |title=Oregon Shipbuilding |publisher=www.shipbuildinghistory.com |access-date=30 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103163035/http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergencylarge/wwtwo/koregon.htm |archive-date= 3 November 2012 }}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.usmaritimecommission.de/query.php?datalist=1&typeofquery=Name%20of%20Ship&valueofquery=John%20Burke&code=B0609a|title=US Maritime Commission|publisher=www.usmaritimecommission.de|access-date=30 October 2012}}
*{{cite web|url=http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/liberty_ships/BuildingLibertyShips/|title=Liberty Ship design and construction|publisher=dlg.galileo.usg.edu|access-date=30 October 2012|archive-date=13 July 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713161350/http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/liberty_ships/BuildingLibertyShips/|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/index.php|title=Virtual tour of a Liberty Ship|publisher=www.liberty-ship.com|access-date=30 October 2012|archive-date=19 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619162518/http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/index.php|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.lanevictory.org/laneVtour_mast_boom.php|title=Hoist, masts and rigging|publisher=www.lanevictory.org|access-date=30 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319020028/http://www.lanevictory.org/laneVtour_mast_boom.php|archive-date=19 March 2016}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/116liberty_victory_ships/116facts1.htm|publisher=National Park Service|title=Liberty ship facts|access-date=17 November 2012|archive-date=8 March 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308175723/http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/116liberty_victory_ships/116facts1.htm|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=9825|title=Captain Mentz' Navy Cross|publisher=www.militarytimes.com|access-date=30 October 2012|archive-date=9 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609004243/http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=9825|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?143981|title=Attack on SS John Burke|publisher=www.wrecksite.com|access-date=30 October 2012}}
*{{cite web|url=http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/background/ships-sunk/index.htm|title=47 Ships Sunk by Kamikaze Aircraft|publisher=www.wesleyan.edu|access-date=30 October 2012|archive-date=2 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702024423/http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/background/ships-sunk/index.htm|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.armed-guard.com/sunk.html|title=Merchant sailors and armed guard losses|publisher=www.armed-guard.com|access-date=30 October 2012}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.ussbush.com/mindoro.htm#BURKE|title=USS Bush (DD 529)'s deck log|publisher=www.ussbush.com|access-date=30 October 2012}}

==Liberty Ship Resources==
* [http://www.liberty-ship.com/ SS ''John W. Brown'' website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531113321/http://www.liberty-ship.com/ |date=2008-05-31 }}
* [http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org/ SS ''JEREMIAH O'BRIEN'' website]

{{Ocean ships}}
{{December 1944 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:John Burke}}
[[Category:Liberty ships]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of the United States|J]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by kamikaze attack]]
[[Category:Ships built in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Ships lost with all hands]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in December 1944]]
[[Category:Filmed killings]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Bohol Sea]]