John Burns served in the U.S. Air Force as a Captain in the 602nd Fighter Squadron (Commando), 14th Air Command Wing, 7th Air Force in the Vietnam War. He was pilot of an A-1E Skyraider. He was on temporary duty and flying classified missions out of Thailand when, on August 4, 1966, his plane was struck by ground fire. No parachute was sighted and no distress signal was received. The aircraft crashed in the landing zone in Laos. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart. On February 5, 1993, the Defense Department announced the positive identification of Captain Burns' remains, which had been repatriated on April 5, 1992. John Burns was laid to rest in Memorial Cemetery, Paris, Tennessee.
