Memorial

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1st Lt James J. Brodie graduated from the University of Illinois in 1940. He worked either as a cashier, stock record clerk, or bookkeeper.

He enlisted on 11 July 1944 in Chicago and received his commission on 22 August 1942.

Lt. Wallace Storey, the pilot of another airplane in the same group, remembered what happened: "Flak was extremely heavy that day, and the Wing had been somewhat disrupted by the heavy opposition. We found ourselves on a crossing course with another Group and just after 'bombs away', the lead ship made a sharp descending right turn. Glancing to my right, I saw “Lazy Daisy” was sliding toward me. I pulled back on the control column to climb out of her path while keeping my eye on the # 2 ship of the lead element, Lt. Buslee in #378 (43-37822), on whose wing our element was flying. I yelled for Gross to watch out for him to come out on the other side, and, sure enough, he slid under us and right into Buslee in the lead element. I watched the two planes as they collided. It cut #378 in half, and the wings on #222 folded up, and both planes fell in a fireball.”

The airplane collided with airplane #43-37822 over the target. Both airplanes went down in fire and out of control. Six crew members were killed, three survived and were taken prisoner.

This was his 21st mission.