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name
BRENNAN, James Joseph Jr - Date of
birth
25 September 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Fort Jones, Siskiyou County, California -
Hometown
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
19102117 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
546th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 September 1944 - Place of
death
Grünfelde, west of Kyritz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 38 | 51 |
Immediate family
-
Members
James J. Brennan Sr. (father)
Mary G. (Machado) Brennan (mother)
Edward Brennan (brother)
Lawrence Brennan (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97142 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Thor, God of Thunder
Destination: Brux, Czechoslovakia
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 8901
More information
James J. Brennan Jr. was a bookkeeper before he joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Los Angeles, California on 27 June 1942.The airplane was hit by German fighters at 1105 in the #3 engine near Wittenburg, Germany. The airplane could not climb back in formation and continuously drifted behind until it was lost out of sight. The right wing fell off at 1109, and the airplane went down afire in a steep glide.
Three crew members were taken prisoner, and six men were killed.
Sgt Brennan was initially buried at the cemetery of Drewen, Germany on 13 September 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.384thbombgroup.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com - WWII Draft Card, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees
Photo source: Jac Engels