FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * KURTZWEIL JOHN T   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CREE INC [CREE] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EXECUTIVE VP, CFO, TREASURER (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O CREE, INC., 4600 SILICON DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 09/01/2011 (Street) DURHAM, NC 27703 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price COMMON STOCK 09/01/2011   F(1)   2,857 D $ 32.43 36,887 D   COMMON STOCK 09/01/2011   A(2)   6,000 A $ 0 42,887 (3) D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)

$ 30.92

09/01/2011

A

30,000

09/01/2012(4)

09/01/2018

COMMON STOCK

30,000

$ 0

30,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
KURTZWEIL JOHN T C/O CREE, INC. 4600 SILICON DRIVE DURHAM, NC 27703			EXECUTIVE VP, CFO, TREASURER

Signatures

Tamara Cappelson, as agent for John T. Kurtzweil		09/02/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Disposition of shares back to the company to satisfy withholding obligations related to restricted stock vesting September 1, 2011.
(2)	Restricted stock award vesting in four equal annual installments commencing September 1, 2012.
(3)	Number of shares reported includes 279 shares purchased on October 31, 2010 and 270 shares purchased on April 30, 2011 under the Cree, Inc. 2005 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(4)	Option vests in three equal annual installments commencing September 1, 2012.

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