Korean War Veteran

John Keenan Burns
1928 - 2016

Interviewed by:

Liam Doyle

"I'm the only navy pilot you will ever meet who couldn't swim."
~ John Keenan Burns

Name:
John Keenan Burns

Date of Birth / Death:
May 22, 1928 -
August 13, 2016

Branch of Service:
Navy

Dates of Service:
1950 - 1955

Locations of Military Service:
Pensacola and Corpus Christi

Residence at Time of Interview:
Pleasant Bay Nursing Home

John Keenan Burns' Story:

John Keenan Burns joined the military during the time of the Korean war. He wanted to be an air force pilot but they said he would make a great navigator but he wanted to fly a plane. So he went to the navy next and ended up becoming a pilot for the navy. He is a survivor of the U.S.S. Bennington which blew up due to a hydraulics fluid ignition which killed 122 and injured 246 Navy soldiers.


Video Interview

Interview Transcript