Rev. John G. Burkhalter, was a Baptist

Baptist

Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...

 minister and highly-decorated chaplain

Chaplain Corps (United States Army)

The Chaplain Corps of the United States Army consists of ordained clergy who are commissioned Army officers as well as enlisted soldiers who serve as assistants. Their purpose is to offer religious services, counseling, and moral support to the armed forces, whether in peacetime or at war.-Army...

 who served in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 and the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

. He was part of the D-Day

D-Day

D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...

 invasion of Normandy

Normandy

Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

 at Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...

.

Early Days

John G. Burkhalter was born in Thomasville, Georgia on July 23, 1909. While an adolescent, John boxed professionally under the name "Jacky Mills," and played on the 1929 Miami High School football team. In 1935, John was named senior pastor of the West Flagler Park Baptist Church in Miami, Florida, and married his high school sweetheart, miss Mable Money, the following year.

World War II

John enlisted in the United States Army and graduated from the Chaplain’s School at Harvard. In 1943, He was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division and landed on Omaha Beach on D-day. An account of his experiences was printed in the Miami Daily News on August 6, 1944. Rev Burkhalter sustained multiple head injuries due to exploding shrapnel during the Battle of the Bulge. He was declared "missing in action" for several weeks before eventually turning up in a French hospital. John received a Purple Heart for these deeds. John was awarded the Bronze Star for valor and America’s third highest honor, The Silver Star

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....

 for gallantry. His citation for the Silver Star reads as follows: "For gallantry in action in the vicinity of Haaren, Germany, 21 October 1944. Although constantly subjected to heavy artillery bombardment and several times thrown to the ground by concussion of exploding shells, Chaplain Burkhalter moved about an exposed area and directed the recovery of the bodies of American casualties. Chaplain Burkhalter’s courage and coolness under fire were of great inspiration to all who witnessed his gallant deeds."

Korean War

John also spent time with the 2nd Infantry Division and would spend a total of 20 months in the European Theater of Operations

European Theatre of World War II

The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...

. On March 22, 1946, John was promoted to the rank of Captain and was assigned to an occupational duty in Japan. He stayed in Japan several years until the Korean Conflict escalated. During the Korean War, he served primarily with the 51st Signal Battalion and the 73rd Tank Battalion. While serving near Kumch’on in the summer of 1950, Rev. Burkhalter gained notoriety when his name and a photograph of him conducting a funeral were published in Life Magazine

Life (magazine)

Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....

. John was promoted to Major during the Korean War and would spend thirteen months in Korea. After the war, John would serve in several different posts and entered the US Army Reserves. On July 3, 1969, John G. Burkhalter would officially retire from the United States Army as a Lieutenant Colonel

Lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

. Some of John’s military adventures were recorded in 2000 in the book, “Heroes to Remember” by Brandon R. Sanders.

U.S. decorations and badges

{| width="100%"
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{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor = "#ccccff" align=center
| colspan=2 |U.S. military decorations
|-
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|Silver Star

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....

|-
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|Bronze Star

Bronze Star Medal

The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...

|-
|
|Purple Heart

Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...

|-
|
|Presidential Unit Citation

Presidential Unit Citation

The Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy...

|-
|
|Army of Occupation Medal

Army of Occupation Medal

The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany or Japan...

|-
|
|National Defense Service Medal

National Defense Service Medal

The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...

|-
|
|Korean Service Medal

Korean Service Medal

The Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...

|-
|
|Armed Forces Reserve Medal

Armed Forces Reserve Medal

The Armed Forces Reserve Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that has existed since 1950. The medal recognizes service performed by the Reserve and National Guard forces of the United States of America....

|-
|
|United Nations Korea Medal

|}

Education and Pastoral Ministry

John held bachelors degrees in history from the University of Miami

University of Miami

The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...

 and divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary

Crozer Theological Seminary

The Crozer Theological Seminary was a multi-denominational religious institution located in Upland, Pennsylvania. The school succeeded a Normal School established at the site and the building's use as a hospital during the American Civil War...

 in Pennsylvania. John held a Masters degree in history from Stetson University

Stetson University

Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...

 and began doctoral work at American University

American University

American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...

. He pastored several churches including West Flagler Park Baptist Church in Miami, Van Buren Street Baptist Church in Eastport (1959-1963), Berkley Baptist Church in Mount Royal, N.J. (1963-1967) and Maryland City Baptist Church in Laurel (1967-1968). He founded Temple Baptist Church (renamed Riva Community Bible Church) in Riva, Md. in 1973, and served as pastor there until 1988.

Death and Burial

John G. Burkhalter died on September 30, 1992 at the age of 83 and was buried with full military honors on Chaplain’s Hill at Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...

. The burial was carried out by the 3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)

3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)

The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the US Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is Noli Me Tangere...

 and included a military band, American flag draped over the coffin, horse-drawn wagon, 21-gun salute

21-gun salute

Gun salutes are the firing of cannons or firearms as a military or naval honor.The custom stems from naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent...

, taps

Taps

"Taps" is a musical piece sounded by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is "lights out". The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfields Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done". It is also played during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet...

, Riderless horse, etc.

External links

• Biography of Rev. John G. Burkhalter: http://www.highrock.com/JohnGBurkhalter
• John Burkhalter: Hero of the Cross in Korea" All Nations Review, Summer 1951, pages 6-7.
• Miami Daily News on August 6, 1944
• http://www.life.com/image/50876430