William H. Buracker
| William H. Buracker | |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Works | |
|
In office 1947–1949 |
|
| Preceded by | Joseph Cairnes |
| Succeeded by | William F. Callahan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 25, 1897 Luray, Virginia |
| Died | March 7, 1977 (aged 79) Winchester, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater |
United States Naval Academy Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | U.S. Navy officer Engineer |
| Awards |
Purple Heart Silver Star Legion of Merit with the Combat "V" Navy Cross |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1920–1947 |
| Rank |
 Rear admiral
|
| Battles/wars |
Battle of Midway Battle of Leyte Gulf |
William Houck Buracker (July 25, 1897 – March 7, 1977) was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy who served as commanding officer of the USS Princeton during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, a member of the task force that carried out the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, and was the operations officer for the carrier task force that transported planes for the Doolittle Raid. After leaving the Navy, Buracker worked as an engineer and was Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Works from 1947 to 1949.
Buracker was born in Luray, Virginia on July 25, 1897. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1920. He became a Navy pilot and was a member of the squadron which made the first non-stop flight from California to Central America. From 1928 to 1930 he studied aeronautic engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While there he met Dorothy Martin of Winchester, Massachusetts. The two later married.
At the outbreak of World War II, Buracker was attached to the staff of Adm. William F. Halsey. Buracker was the operations officer of the carrier task force that transported planes for the Doolittle Raid. He was operations officer in the carrier raids on the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, Wake Island and Marcus Island. He was awarded the Silver Star "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving on the Staff of the Task Force Commander" during the raids.
After the Battle of Midway, Buracker returned to the United States. From August 1942 to May 1943 he was commander of the Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida. In this role, Buracker oversaw the expansion of the base, which included the construction and expansion of air fields. United States Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal publicly commended Buracker for his work in Pensacola.
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