Thomas Burke (Medal of Honor)

Thomas Burke (1833 – April 23, 1899) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

A native of Ireland, Burke immigrated to the U.S. and joined the Navy from the state of New York. By May 10, 1866, he was serving as a seaman on the USS De Soto (1859). On that day, while the De Soto was off the coast of Eastport, Maine, he and two shipmates rescued two sailors from the USS Winooski (1863) from drowning. For this action, he and his shipmates, Seaman Richard Bates and Captain of the Afterguard John Brown, were awarded the Medal of Honor three months later, on August 1.

Burke's official Medal of Honor citation reads: "For heroic conduct, with 2 comrades, in rescuing from drowning James Rose and John Russell, seamen, of the U.S.S. Winooski, off Eastport, Maine, 10 May 1866."

Burke died at age 65 or 66 and was buried at John Howard Cemetery on the grounds of St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C.