Edmund B.R. Burns

Major Edmund B.R. Burns (USMC Ret)
of Joliet, IL died of the complications of jaw cancer on April 16, 2013. He was 76 years of age. He was born in Chicago, IL and grew up in Joliet. He graduated from Joliet Catholic High School and attended Joliet Junior College after graduation. He was Editor of his high school newspaper (The Victory Light) and was employed as a sports writer for the Joliet Herald News before entering the Academy. After graduation, he attended The Basic School, Quantico, VA before going to Flight Training in Pensacola. He was designated a Naval Aviator in July, 1961 and assigned to the Second Marine Air Wing, Cherry Point, NC, where he qualified in the A-4D-2N(A-4C) with VMA-225. He was assigned to VMA-242 in 1962, prior to unit deployment to Japan in 1964. In October, 1962, his squadron was deployed to NAS Key West, FL for the Cuban Crisis. Promoted to Captain in 1964, he then returned to the US in October, 1964 and was assigned as a flight instructor with VT-21, NAAS Kingsville, Texas until being reassigned to 2MAW, Cherry Point in 1967 to requalify in Skyhawks prior to duty in the Republic of Viet Nam in May, 1968. He was promoted to Major in Sept. 1967. In Viet Nam, he served with Marine Air Group-12 as an assistant operations officer and with squadrons VMA-223 and VMA-121, flying 390 missions in the A-4-C, A-4E and the TA-4F for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal (28 S/F awards). He was assigned to Headquarters, Marine Air Reserve Training Command, Glenview, IL in July, 1969 serving as a personnel officer until being reassigned as S-1, MAG-32, Beaufort, SC during the period when the AV-8A Harrier was being introduced. In addition to his staff duties, he assisted in developing an air-to-air gunnery program for Harrier pilots. In 1972, he served briefly as Executive Officer, VMA-324, flying the A-4M. In June, 1973 he again deployed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, where he served as Operations Officer, VMA 211, and as Group S-1, Marine Air Group-12. On completion of his overseas tour, he returned in January, 1975 and was assigned to the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff at Offutt AFB, Omaha, NE, where he served for three years. In 1978, he was assigned to the Headquarters Staff, Third Marine Air Craft Wing and served as Officer-in-Charge, TMU-3 until his retirement in June of 1979. Following retirement, he returned to Joliet, where he enjoyed following Joliet Catholic (H.S.) football, while five of his nephews played and while six statewide champions were won. He is survived by six brothers/sisters: Barbara (Mrs James) Bertino of Plainfield, IL, Rita (Mrs Irvin) Hahn of Ruskin, FL, Terry (Marge) Burns, Susan (Mrs Thomas) Slingsby, John (Mary) Burns and William (Linda) Burns and 24 nieces or nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Edmund A. and Rita C. Burns and two infant brothers Jerome and Robert and one sister Mary (Mrs Robert) Olson. A Mass of Resurrection will be held on Saturday April 20, 2013 at 11:30AM at St. Ambrose Church, Crest Hill, IL with inurnment in the Naval Academy Columbarium at Annapolis, MD at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Joliet Catholic Academy would be appreciated.