John "Jack" Burns' Obituary
John (Jack) Burns was born in Minnesota in 1945. He passed away at home on February 13,
2015. He is survived by his wife, Bettye; their children, Erin Hegedus and John R. Burns III; and three grandchildren, Donovan Burns, Cassidy Burns and Araya Hegedus. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the 1st Infantry Division Foundation Scholarship Fund, 1993 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA, 19422.
JOHN R. (JACK) BURNS, JR.
June 13, 1945 – February 13, 2015
John R. (Jack) Burns was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 13, 1945. The son of a career Army officer he lived throughout the country and overseas before returning to Minneapolis to graduate from Richfield High School in 1961.
Following family tradition, he enlisted in the Army in 1965 and subsequently graduated from the U.S. Army Field Artillery Officer Candidate School in 1966 as his father had done years prior. He graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne School and the U.S. Army Ranger School before reporting to the Republic of South Vietnam in 1968. While assigned to the First Infantry Division from 1968 through 1970 he fulfilled the following responsibilities: Reconnaissance Forward Observer, Long Range Reconnaissance Forward Observer, Brigade Artillery Liaison Officer, Battalion Artillery Liaison Officer, Artillery Battery Commander – Delta Battery, and Division Operations Officer – Air. For his service he was awarded the Silver Star, the Soldier’s Medal, four Bronze Stars with “V”, nineteen Air Medals, and Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and numerous other medals. He left the Army in 1973 with the rank of Captain.
Jack received a Bachelor’s Degree from Benedictine College and a Masters Degree from the University of Oklahoma.
After his Army career, Jack moved to Cape Canaveral, Florida, where he served in various positions in the Cape Canaveral Volunteer Fire Department rising to the rank of Assistant Chief. He was awarded the U.S. Coast Guard Public Service Commendation in 1984 for serving as the Incident Commander for his efforts in coordinating multiple agencies combating a cruise ship fire in the Port of Canaveral.
He subsequently became an instructor at the Texas A & M Engineering Extension Service Fire School where he developed and taught classes in shipboard firefighting for land-based firefighters.
After moving to San Diego, he served as a consultant to the Panama Canal Commission in 1989 teaching the Commission’s fire department shipboard firefighting techniques. He was the Safety Manager at Teledyne-Ryan Aeronautical and later at the Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital at the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command at Twenynine Palms, Ca.
He is survived by his wife of twenty-eight years, Bettye, his daughter, Erin Hegedus, his son, John R. Burns III, and three grandchildren, Donovan Burns, Cassidy Burns and Araya Hegedus.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the 1st Infantry Division Foundation Scholarship Fund, 1933 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422.
Burial arrangements at Arlington National Cemetery are pending.
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