After graduation from the Naval Academy in 1940, Burke served in the battleships West Virginia (BB-48) and North Carolina (BB-55)

he was in the first crew of “The Showboat.” After Submarine School he served combat duty in the Flying Fish (SS-229) and after the war commanded the Guardfish (SS-217). Subsequent duty was in the submarine tender Howard W. Gilmore (AS-16), in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and as executive officer of the Dogfish (SS-350). He commanded the submarine Sablefish (SS-303), served in the presidential yacht Williamsburg (AGC-369) until she was decommissioned in 1955, and commanded the destroyer Harold J. Ellison (DD-864). Later duties were on the staff of Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet, as a student at the Naval War College, and as Commander Submarine Division 63 during Regulus missile trials. In the 1960s he was executive officer of the Naval Academy’s Bancroft Hall and commanded the attack transport Fremont (APA-44) and Amphibious Squadron Six. After duty in the Navy Plans Branch in OpNav he was Commander Amphibious Group Three and later Commander Amphibious Group One in the Western Pacific. While in OpNav he ran a study that involved major reorganization of the Naval Reserve. During duty from 1970 to 1973 as Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan, he was instrumental in getting a U.S. aircraft carrier homeported in Yokosuka. Later in the 1970s he was Commander Service Force Atlantic Fleet and Commandant of the Sixth Naval District. After retirement from active duty in 1976, he was vice president of the Navy Relief Society.