The purpose of our work is to make every effort to care for and serve every soldier and their family, to further improve and improve their quality of life, which we should always remember. —Mike Burda
In the star-studded and talented U.S. Navy military, he stood out from a soldier to a four-star admiral in the Navy, becoming the first chief of naval operations in U.S. history not to attend the Annapolis Officer School.
He was an idol in the hearts of soldiers, and his success made each soldier see his potential.
He spent most of his time on ships and islands as chief of operations for more than two years, and he worked hard to help grassroots officers and men solve practical difficulties, winning the respect and trust of naval officers and men, and becoming the most prestigious chief of operations in the navy since the end of World War II.
His departure became the most painful and sad thing for the US Naval officers.
He was four-star Admiral Mike Bourda, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations.
Admiral Jeremy Mike Bourda
Final moments
At about 10:00 a.m. on May 16, 1996, in the office of the Pentagon's Chief of Naval Operations, the atmosphere was unusually heavy, and four-star General Burda was distraught and stressed by the bombing interrogations of reporters for several days.
"General, how do you deal with those boring journalists in the afternoon?" Commodore Kendy Pease, chief of the Naval Information Bureau, asked the Chief of Naval Operations in a cautious tone.
"I'm going to tell them the truth." The general's tone was calm.
On schedule, he would meet with the deputy secretary of defense at 1:15 p.m., and now he was ready to let Deputy Secretary of Operations Jay Johnson go.
A cook brought lunch into the office, but General Burda declined, and he went back to his residence to rest, and at about 2:15 p.m. he returned to the Pentagon to meet two Newsweek reporters. At about 1:10 p.m., he left the Pentagon, but no one expected it to be the last time he stepped out of the Pentagon's threshold and never returned.
An hour later, a gunshot shattered the tranquility of Burda's official post, and Burda was seen lying in a pool of blood at the entrance of the official bedroom, holding a 3.8mm revolver in his hand and his chest full of blood. He was then taken by ambulance to the Naval General Hospital, but it was too late.
At 2:25 p.m., his heart stopped beating.
News of Burda's suicide soon spread throughout the United States and shocked the world. His departure was a great loss to the U.S. Navy and left a thick mystery – why did he commit suicide?
The "V" badge drove him to a dead end
"Mike, you're innocent, but it's too costly for you to prove your innocence in this way!"
In the church, the candlelight is lit, and in the cloudy eyes of an old man, the old man has tears and nagging such a sentence in his mouth.
He was a former friend of retired Vice Admiral Michelle Kellers, a former friend of General Burda, who fought together and served together in the Vietnam War, when they both served as deputy captains on two destroyers, providing maritime artillery support to the South Vietnamese army.
However, it was because of his meritorious service that General Burda was planted with a time bomb that detonated 30 years later.
For nearly a year, the two "V" bronze battle ribbon badges he wore on his chest became the object of many news media chases. They questioned whether the general had the right to wear the two battle "V" badges.
According to the U.S. Navy Ordinance, the "V" battle badge is only awarded to servicemen who directly participate in the battle and have distinguished themselves, and the right to wear them must be clearly stated in the certificate of honor. However, information provided by the National Security News Service indicates that Burda's certificate of honor does not indicate that he has the right to wear a "V" battle badge.
Battle C emblem, Battle V (valiant) emblem, etc. (the "V" battle emblem that led to the suicide of Admiral Burda is also among them)
Newsweek Washington correspondent Ai Thomas and columnist David Huckworth, a retired Army colonel, are scheduled to interview General Burda on the matter at 2:15 p.m. on May 16, and they have a copy of General Burda's honorary certificate in the Vietnam War.
The contents of the two honorary certificates are as follows:
(i)
On behalf of the Secretary of the Navy and Commander of the Pacific Fleet, I have the honour to confer on Captain Mike Bourda the Navy Medal of Honor.
Captain Mike Burda served as gunner on board the destroyer John Cage from 10 April to 10 August 1965. During this period, the ship performed maritime artillery support missions to the South Vietnamese army and served as the flagship of the formation, and the ship was commended by the Admiralty's General Order. Captain Burda's familiarity with the performance of weapon systems, coupled with careful organization and command, played a key role in the ship's mission. Captain Burda won the honor for the Navy.
This order is hereby awarded to Admiral R. Johnson of the United States Admiralty
(ii)
The Order of the Order of The Navy's Order of Honor was awarded to Major Mike Burda on the basis of the following achievements:
During his tenure as deputy captain on the destroyer Brooke from 15 October 1970 to 20 February 1971, Major Michael Bourda excelled, especially in combat, proficient in armament performance, commanded effectively, actively rescued fallen pilots, and as a result of his efforts, the ship's armament integrity ranked first in the Pacific Fleet, reflecting a good level of operation and excellent military qualities.
This order is hereby awarded to Vice Admiral J.C. Hollery of the United States Department of the Navy
At that time, General Michel was serving as deputy captain on another ship in the formation, and after the battle, they received the same merit and were awarded the same medal together. But General Michel's certificate of honor stated that he had the right to wear a "V" battle badge, while General Burda's certificate of honor did not.
General Michel has always insisted that Burda's certificate of honor should be the same as his. Perhaps, general Burda, believing that the word "fight" was written on it, thought that he had the right to wear the "V", or that the staff who were processing the certificate at the time were negligent and forgot to indicate it.
A year ago, the U.S. National Security News Service asked him to show the basis for wearing a "V" authorized honorary certificate in accordance with relevant national laws. At this time he took off the "V" badge pinned to his chest.
E.L. Mokhamwitt, a former secretary of the Navy, published an article in the Washington Post on May 18 that according to the 1965 Naval Medal Wearing Manual, if rewarded for combat or for service in the field, one has the right to wear a "V" badge. He repeatedly said that in the 1970s, the "V" badge was rampant, and even many soldiers who had never been to Vietnam wore this badge. The Washington Post commented that this statement was somewhat far-fetched and was looking for excuses for Burda.
Burda, a senior admiral in the Navy, should have known common sense about wearing the "V" badge, and perhaps a complex motive drove him to brew this bitter wine.
When Burda, who was at the peak, was forced to the "uncrowned king" to be helpless, he could only jump down and die to free himself. As a soldier who cannot avoid life and death, "honor and dignity" are far more than life. He wanted to die to prove his innocence in his 40 years of military service.
The "attack wave" has already begun
Over the past year, many journalists and parliamentarians have investigated the Admiralty, conducted press conferences, and questioned Burda about many things about the Navy, such as the constant sexual harassment in the Navy, the repeated cheating and moral corruption of cadet examinations at the Naval Academy of Annapolis, and the repeated crashes of carrier-based aircraft into the sea, which often caused Burda to be overwhelmed.
Like his predecessor, General Frank Kessel, he seems incapable of escaping the adverse effects of the Tail Hook Incident on the Navy.
At an alumni meeting at the Annapolis Naval Academy on April 25, former Secretary of the Navy James Weber criticized Burda and other senior admirals fiercely, though not naming him, but describing him as "the greatest blasphemy against the dignity of the Navy," saying that they would not hesitate to lose their military honors for the sake of their careers and cater to politicians.
Burda had nominated Admiral Stannie Arthur a year earlier as commander-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet, but the nomination was strenuously opposed by a senator who revealed the unfair treatment of his own dismissal while studying at an aviation academy in the Navy.
Weber's harsh criticism of Burda at the time sparked a chorus of cheers from those present, including some retired officers and cadets.
For Burda, harsher criticism was yet to come, and in August 1995 the Naval Journal published an article in which the Navy shrank and made a fuss about many of the things that followed the Tail Hook Incident, such as the club for the entertainment of the pilots on the aircraft carrier, which was only open during the day and was too sensitive to gender issues in the military, making morality and environmental theories too much to look up. This article said that after the "tail hook incident", the Navy let public opinion lose its former glory. Although some have criticized the report as being a bit of a fuss and a catch-all, the article was well received in the Navy and sparked a discussion of "the dignity and status of the Navy," with Burda and some senior admirals being the focus of their criticism.
In the Navy Times on May 20, an anonymous letter was published demanding the resignation of General Burda, saying that he had lost the trust and support of the admirals and that he had better roll up his sleeves and go home immediately for the sake of the development of the Navy.
But for Burda, who joined the army at the age of 16, the army was his only home. If he left the Navy, he would really be a homeless outcast.
Smile from the military road
Burda was born into a Jewish family in rural South Bend County, Indiana, on October 26, 1939.
The smell of gunpowder in the house was particularly strong, and his stodgy mother and big grinning father would often quarrel fiercely over some family chores. The young Burda grew up in a state of fear and irritability, and sometimes he had to borrow alcohol to relieve his depression. He later recalled his family: "I had only one wish at the time, to escape from this home. ”
In 1956, his wish finally came true, when he dropped out of school, falsely declared his age, and signed up for the Navy. He began his military career, just turning 16.
His father was a naval sergeant. But Burda and he followed two completely different paths. Christians were overwhelming in the navy in the '50s, and as a Jew he vowed to fight for a place for the Jews in the army.
He was extremely serious and clever, and he was deeply admired by everyone, and he later became a personnel sergeant.
At the age of 19, while serving at the HNA Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma, he met Betty Moran, a female college student at the University of Oklahoma, fell in love, and soon married. But the first child born after marriage was born with a rare congenital disease, Gordz syndrome. The child has an eye blindness, intellectual insufficiency, and requires comprehensive plastic surgery. In the first few years of the baby's life, surgery after surgery, Burda had to work hard to get free medical treatment for his son in the Navy.
While his peers were drinking beer and talking about things, Burda was overwhelmed by the heavy family burden.
In 6 years, Burda had been promoted from a third class to a sergeant, and for him it was an unattainable dream to become an officer.
The appearance of a man took a major turn in his fortunes. In the early '60s, Burda's immediate boss and good friend, Georges Éwouddin, became discerning and discovered that Burda was a material to be trained and encouraged him to take an officer selection exam. As a result, Burda scored high. Although the plan to train officers was later canceled, Burda did so and put on the officer's uniform. Even when he became Chief of Operations more than 30 years later, he still did not forget that it was a turning point in his life, and he vigorously promoted the short-term officer training system to give a chance to the good soldiers who had lost the opportunity to attend military school for various reasons.
He studied hard and earned his high school education through self-study. Later, he had the opportunity to study at the University of Rhode Island and earned a bachelor's degree in political science.
Captain of the United States Navy
He was a sergeant at the station and later a ground officer, doing a good job and having some expertise in flying tactics. Later, he served as the captain of a famous warship, and was deeply valued by his superiors. Later, as a captain, he was able to accurately enter the anchor position without towing cables when the port of Norfolk and the warship were quietly moored.
He served on the destroyer USS Portfield (DD682) and the destroyer USS John Cage (DD885), and later as captain of the minesweeper USS Parrot (MSC197). During the exercise, he would fire as many missiles and shells as possible to improve and demonstrate the ship's combat effectiveness.
During the 1977 Atlantic exercise, he was bold and decisive, intercepting a Canadian oil tanker and using it as cover to "sink" an aircraft carrier. His talents were commended by the Commander of the Formation.
In a Report in the Navy Times on April 3, 1995, he said: "Without bragging, I can be considered the best of the Navy's many great captains, even to this day." ”
Care for others
From 1977 to 1987, Burda served at the Naval Military Academy and the Pentagon, where he served as commander of the 8th Destroyer Sail, Cruiser Group and saratoga carrier battle group.
During his tenure as Secretary to the Assistant Secretary of Defense, he worked vigorously and worked hard to persuade Congress to increase the naval budget, and his competence and artistic skills were praised in Congress.
In August 1988, he became chief of naval personnel and was promoted to three-star admiral of the Navy.
Burda was a personnel sergeant when he was a soldier, so he had a unique insight and extraordinary ability in personnel work.
Burda believes that personnel work is not simply the formulation of some personnel policies and the implementation of some systems, but includes a lot of real work that specifically cares about people. He always adjusted his policies to help the soldiers solve some practical difficulties and correct some bureaucratic mistakes. Some soldiers wrote directly to him, including some employment, housing, mobility and other issues, and he tried his best to help solve them.
Burda often said such a sentence, "The military life is the most tense and monotonous, the heart also needs the care of others the most, a small thing such as being cold in the hospital, can directly affect the mental state of the sailors, the mood is good or bad, so we must improve the quality of service must start from a little bit." ”
Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine
During his tenure as Director of Personnel, he secured many grants for the Navy to build housing for officers and soldiers, improve medical facilities, increase opportunities for overseas soldiers and their families to be reunited, and make many positive efforts to improve their treatment.
Under his strong appeal and influence, the Pentagon's policymakers deeply realized that people are the most valuable asset in the military, and regarded improving the treatment of military personnel and improving their lives as the first place in the work of the military.
Served as Chief of Operations
For Burda, who came from a humble background, his military career was a difficult road, but he showed great self-denial, worked well at any time and in any position, and had a high reputation among his subordinates. He rose from a junior officer, leaving behind the highly qualified students of the Annapolis Naval Academy, the excellent submarine captains and pilots, and eventually rose to the highest military commander in the Navy (the secretary of the Navy was a civilian official), becoming the first chief of naval operations in American history to not have studied in a formal academy.
Coat of arms of the Tail Hook Association
In 1991, the U.S. Navy broke out a sensational "tail hook incident", and the scandal of sexual harassment of more than 30 female servicemen in the tail hook club in Las Vegas caused a sensation around the world, leading to the resignation of then-Chief of Naval Operations Franklin Kessel. There were two candidates for Chief of Naval Operations at the time: Burda and Admiral Charles Larson, then commander of the U.S. Military Pacific Headquarters. Burda's education and qualifications were significantly inferior to those of Charles Larson, a magna laude graduate of the Annapolis Naval Academy and commanding the largest fleet of the U.S. Military. But then President Clinton appointed Burda as the 25th Secretary of Operations of the U.S. Navy.
After Burda took office, he first set out to work to eliminate the adverse effects of the "tail hook incident" on the navy, while improving the image of the navy in the hearts of the people.
He vigorously promoted equal treatment and equal opportunities for men and women in the military, and severely punished sexual harassment, gradually winning the confidence of female soldiers in the Navy. He was very different from his predecessor, Franklin Kessel, who went around the army and went down to the grassroots to help officers and soldiers solve practical difficulties. He resisted pressure to cut military spending and disarmament before Congress, retained a frigate force and 12 aircraft carriers, and pursued a package of crew shore training programs to facilitate their reunification with their families, and tried to persuade Secretary of the Navy Dalton to invest more in projects to improve officers' housing and lives.
On his first day in office, he wrote an enthusiastic letter to all the officers and men of the Navy on a typewriter.
"In the military, everyone's opportunities are equal. No one is perfect, but you have to correct your mistakes and strive for perfection. We must be meticulous in our work, go all out, work hard, and reap the rewards. ”
This was The voice of Burda, who, in order to maintain his "perfect" image, eventually committed suicide to "correct" his mistakes.
A painful day in naval history
Burda's prestige in the navy surpassed that of successive ministers, and the sailors affectionately called him "father", of course not a patriarchal "father", but a father with a kind and loving heart. At the time of his death, a Pentagon guard said, "I feel sad, as if I have lost a member of my family." ”
Okinawa, a marine base.
Corporal Brian Sophie burst into tears. He slowly raised the Star-Spangled Banner to the top of the flagpole and then lowered it to half-mast, saying, "This is the saddest day I've had in 10 years." He went on to say: "If I think anyone can be a naval icon, it is only General Burda." He and the soldiers had a common language, they had common ups and downs, and the soldiers loved to listen to him... A few years ago, when I was working at the sea terminal, I often saw General Burda's planes landing, and his easy-going friendliness impressed everyone. You can say something to him, and he will listen to your pain. ”
A soldier at White Beach, Okinawa, said: "He was the first general in the history of the Navy to be promoted from soldier to chief of operations, and from him we know what to do, he has set an example for us, and we will inherit and carry forward his spirit and do our best for the Navy." ”
"Hearing the news of his death was like a thunderbolt on a sunny day." Secretary of the Navy Dalton said this in an interview with reporters the day after Burda's death. His eyes were red, he was grieving the loss of a close friend, and every morning for two years General Burda sat next to his mahogany chair and talked to him, from warships to sailors, from naval budgets to their grandchildren. Dalton said what impressed him most was General Burda's unique charm and appeal among admirals.
"When I walked with him to the warship, these sailors saw him, their eyes lit up, and all eyes were fixed on him. It made my minister feel a little jealous. Burda and them pulled together, then walked into the sailor cabin to ask for warmth. ”
"He was familiar with the lives of the sailors, and he had the same sour, sweet, bitter, and hard-working footprints as them, and he always encouraged them, telling them, 'Your potential is infinite.'"
Burda's death was such a psychological blow to the U.S. naval officers that the sense of unshakable sanctity in their hearts for years was in crisis. The chief of operations will let the pressure from the outside world force him to commit suicide, the Navy is really fragile, and maybe something more terrible will happen in the future.