Staff Sgt. Terrence Shane Burke at Memorial Day ceremony on May 30, 2011: Sgt. Burke (USMC) spoke to more than 700 people who gathered for the annual observation of Memorial Day in Dorchester. Burke survived a life-threatening wound sustained during a tour of duty in Iraw in 2006 and today serves as a Boston Police officer. Shown at left are (l-r) City Councillors John Connolly and Felix Arroyo and State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry.

When Terrence ‘Shane’ Burke took the stage to give keynote remarks at Cedar Grove Cemetery’s annual Memorial Day ceremony this morning, he followed in the footsteps of many Congressmen, governors, generals — even a future president, John F. Kennedy.

But this 33 year-old Dorchester native — who lost part of his leg in combat while serving as a US Marine in Iraq five years ago— has credentials that make him a perfect fit for the high-profile role.

“[Shane’s] a great guy, a Marine, who risked his life for the United States of America,” says Steve Bickerton, Sr., one of the organizers of Monday’s parade and ceremony at Cedar Grove, which is the oldest continuously observed Memorial Day event in the city, dating back to 1868. The parade — featuring marching bands and members of Dorchester’s various veterans posts— stepped off at 10 a.m. from the McKeon Post on Hilltop Street.

Burke, who says he will speak about the history of the Memorial Day event in Dorchester and what it means to him personally, grew up in the neighborhood and has attended the services many times. He attended St. Mark’s Elementary school then went off to South Boston High School and eventually Braintree High School. He joined the Marines at age 19 and saw much of the world during his stint before being honorably discharged.

He returned to Dorchester where he joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #103 union, before entering the MBTA Police Academy and, then, the Boston Police Academy. He had just begun working as a patrol cop in Area C-6, in South Boston, when he heard that the Marine Corps’1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division (Reserves) – dubbed “New England’s Own” was mobilizingfor a tour in Iraq. Burke contacted a Marine prior-service recruiter and re-enlisted, telling many of his buddies that he wanted to “watch their back.”

Five months into his tour, Burke and three of his comrades were serious injured when the vehicle they were riding in was upended by a roadside bomb in Falljuah. The blast nearly tore off Burke’s leg and left him with third-degree burns and two of his buddies—Corporal Patrick Murray and Lance Corporal Jonathan Goldman— also suffered life-threatening injuries. All three men were saved by two Naval Corpsman, Hospitalman 2nd Class Samuel Jordan and Hospitalman 2nd Class James O’Brien, who is also a lieutenant on the Boston Fire Department.

Terry spent the next year-and-a-half at Brook Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. There, with the help of his family and friends, Terry made steady strides toward recovery. His brother and “best friend” — TJ Burke, Jr. rushed to Texas and spent the next month by Shane’s bedside, as did his then-fiancee, Kristen Mancini. The sacrifices made by his family, in particular, is very much on Burke’s mind as he prepares for his speech on Monday.

“To take the stage where so many other veterans have before, fellow patriots and warriors, it’s truly an honor,” says Burke. “I’m sure it will be somewhat surreal, to be in front of our fellow veterans and the families who suffer and struggle. Because it’s the families back here who suffer too—the sons or daughters, the siblings, the children, the parents.”

Seven months after he was evacuated from Iraq, Burke was not only back up on his feet— but he ran a 5k road race at the base in Texas. For Burke— who ran road races almost every weekend before the injury— it was a huge morale boost.

“It was a great step for me confidence wise,” says Burke, who also ran in the inaugural Run to Home Base — a 9k — that he trained for carefully.

“I can’t just jump up in the morning and run a road race anymore,” he said. “The skin grafts shear due to the pressure and constant movement.”

But Burke has returned to a steady job on the Boston Police Department, where he presently serves on the Crime Scene Response Unit, Bureau of Investigative Services. In this unit they compare all fingerprints of new prisoners, respond to various calls including, breaking and entering, sexual assaults, shootings, and homicides.

“I really like what I do,” Burke told the Reporter. “It’s constantly fluid with forensics work. It’s incumbent upon you ads a police officer to get certifications, apply and take the exams, keep up on journals and the latest on the websites. We respond almost everyday to something, whether it be, unfortunately, to homicides and sexual assaults.”

The department, Burke says, has been extremely supportive of his come-back— from Commissioner Ed Davis and the union officials straight through to his colleagues in the crime scene unit. Earlier this month, Burke and fellow Boston Police Officer Sergeant Scott O’Brien were recipients of the Theodore Roosevelt Police Award, given to police officers who have overcome an adversity or disability, as Theodore Roosevelt triumphed over the physical handicaps of his youth.

“Everything is going great with me. I have my health and am working a great career that I love. I am looking forward to a few road races this summer, and maybe even some traveling, possibly to Europe to photograph some holy sites.”

Despite his wounds, Burke is still a Staff Sergeant (E-6) in the US Marines, assigned to the Inactive Regular Reserves (IRR), which means non-drilling status and not having to go train one weekend a month. Burke is proud of his service and especially proud to have an opportunity to speak on behalf of his brothers and sisters in arms.

“I think of the people who came before us and provided us with this blanket of freedom,” says Burke. “We’re still a very young country but we’re doing well so far.”

More on the veterans posts in Dorchester that will be a part of Monday's Memorial Day observances.