John R. Burke

John Richard Burke (December 7, 1924 – August 7, 1993) was a Foreign Service officer and the United States Ambassador to Guyana during the Jonestown Massacre.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1924, Burke was a First Lieutenant in the United States Army during World War II. He also served during the Korean War.

After his Korean service, he earned a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Burke was the Ambassador to Guyana from September 30, 1977 to September 22, 1979.

Burke died of a heart attack on August 7, 1993 at his home in Arlington, Virginia.