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name
BREAZEALE, Vernon Oscar - Date of
birth
14 August 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Texas -
Hometown
Brownwood, Brown County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-756857 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
418th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
29 May 1944 - Place of
death
Torgau, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 23 | 3 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Leslie J. Breazeale (father)
Elta L. (Nance) Breazeale (mother)
Margaret H. Breazeale (sister)
Anne L. (Wall) Breazeale (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-107011 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Shining Hour
Destination: Leipzig, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Erla aviation industry
MACR: 5237
More information
2nd Lt Vernon O. Breazeale graduated from Brownwood High School and was a salesman.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Abilene, Texas on 7 September 1942.
The airplane was hit by enemy fighters over the target area. The #2 engine and nose was hit by 20 mm. It peeled out of formation, lost altitude, went into a vertical dive, and exploded. Three parachutes were seen.
Six crewmembers were taken prisoner, four were killed. They were initially buried at the city cemetery of Torgau on 1 June 1944.
Lt Breazeale is remembered at the Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood, Brown County, Texas.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com, www.findagrave.com, Terry Teague, www.8thafhs.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Terry Teague, Ed Walker, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-14 Victorville AAF California