The Marlborough
Historical Society

     Ralph was born the 30^th of April, 1918 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the only son of Harry and Rose Burns.  He was a 1936 graduate of the Marlborough High School.  He was a student at Northeastern University Class of 1942, taking classes in mechanical engineering as well as a member of the Sigma Phi Alpha fraternity.  He enlisted into the Navy Reserves the 18^th of June 1941, and was selected as an aviation cadet the 10^th of October 1941.  He received his initial training in aviation at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida in October of 1941 and transferred to Naval Air Station Miami Beach, Florida in March of 1942.  He was appointed a Naval aviator the 15^th of April, 1942 and commissioned an Ensign the 2^nd of May.  He married Helen Chapman in 1942 and they would have one son Ralph Jr that he would never see. 

     On the 16^th of July he was assigned to Escort Scouting Squadron 27 where Ralph flew the TBM Avenger torpedo bomber. The name of Ralph’s unit was eventually changed to Torpedo Squadron 27 and they were assigned to the USS SUWANEE (CVE-27) an escort carrier.  Ralph and his new ship first began operations in the European theater during the invasion of North Africa in November of 1942. Ralph, known as Rusty to his friends was awarded an Air Medal for his actions attacking enemy submarines in Casablanca harbor between the 8^th and 11^th of November.  Arriving back in Norfolk, Virginia the SUWANEE got underway for the Pacific the 5^th of December 1942.  Ralph and his squadron provided support to the men on Guadalcanal and other islands in the Solomons. Ralph and Torpedo Squadron 27 were on detached duty and flying from the newly acquired airfield on Guadalcanal.  Ralph was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade the 1^st of March 1943. On the 20^th of April, 1943, Ralph was among a squadron of Avengers sent to attack enemy shipping near Kahili, Oavu Island when it was reported his aircraft crashed while making an attack on a Japanese ship.  He was declared missing in action until 1945 when he was officially declared dead.  His name is memorialized on the walls of the missing at the Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines.  A bridge in Harwich, Massachusetts is named in his honor.

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