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Personal info

Full name
BRINDLEY, Kenyon Penn
Date of birth
13 March 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Arkansas
Hometown
Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas

Military service

Service number
O-685071
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
703rd Bombardment Squadron,
445th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 February 1944
Place of death
Leimbach, west of Bad Salzungen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Tablets of the Missing
* This soldier has been accounted for. A rosette has been placed next to his name.

Immediate family

Members
John P. Brindley (father)
Martha (Williams) Brindley (mother)
Armond P. Brindley (brother)
William P. Brindley (brother)
Charles P. Brindley (brother)
Henry P. Brindley (brother)
Ada C. Brindley (sister)
Martha A. Brindley (sister)
Virginia R. Brindley (sister)
Joseph P. Brindley (brother)
Donald P. Brindley (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-100312
Data
Type: B-24J
Destination: Gotha, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Gothaer Waggonfabrik, aviation industry
MACR: 2560

More information

Kenyon P. Brindley was a clerk.

He joined the Air Corps of the National Guard as a private on 16 September 1940.

Statement of surviving crew member, Leroy E. Dunster: "We were attacked by German fighter planes (Fw-190s) just after we passed over the Zuyder Zee and were under continuous attack from there until the time our ship was put completely out of commission. We suffered a few hits early in the attack, but I don't believe anyone was wounded. A piece was blown out of the top of the turret, but the bombardier, who was flying that position, said he was not hit. We then went through a flak area, over Eisenach, I think it was, and received a few more minor hits. Immediately after the flak, we had another fighter attack. This time by JU-88s. In this attack, a shell burst just outside the flight deck and caused me to receive wounds in both hands and one leg. I am sure that up until this time no one had been hit on our ship, and since I didn't have time to report my wounds to the pilot, I heard none of the others mention any either. After I opened the bomb bays and watched bomb strike and closed the doors again, I returned to my radio to pick up the Bomb Strike Message. About this time we received a direct hit in our No. 3 engine which tore it completely off the wing. We immediately lost altitude and the pilot gave the order to bail out. I opened the bomb bays again and prepared to jump, as did the others who were on the flight deck. This includes the Engineer, Pilot and Co-pilot. As the pilot and co-pilot climbed out of their seats, we must have gone into a spin, and I was unable to move at all. Both pilot and co-pilot returned to their stations and took the controls. Sgt Banta, the Engineer, was standing at the bomb bays with me and, as I thought, would jump with me. I was suddenly thrown out through the open bays and saw nothing more of anyone on the airplane.

"The plane seemed to be in a steep dive and perhaps turned over in the air, and there was a terrific force in play that prevented me from moving. I did hear a terrific, loud explosion a few seconds after being thrown from the plane."

Seven crew members were killed, two survived and were taken prisoner. German records revealed that all remains were interred at the cemetery of Bad Salzungen, but investigation in January 1950 to recover them were without result. Because of the confusion at that time and due to the fact several bombers were shot down, it is also possible that the airplane crashed in the vicinity of Ilmenau and that the killed crew members were buried in that vicinity.

In March 1952, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, took custody of commingled unidentified remains recovered from Bad Salzungen Cemetery. These remains, X-9093 Griesheim Mausoleum (X-9093), X-9094 Griesheim Mausoleum (X-9094), and X-9095 Griesheim Mausoleum (X-9095), were believed to be those belonging to 2nd Lt Brindley’s downed aircraft. At the time, identification of these remains was not possible, and they were interred in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium.

In June 2021, DPAA historians and American Battle Monuments Commission personnel, exhumed X-9093, X-9094, and X-9095 from Ardennes American Cemetery and transferred them to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis and identification.

To identify Brindley’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.

Brindley’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Lt Brindley was given his final resting place on 18 December 2023, in Conway, Arkansas.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com - MACR, DPAA

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Bombardier Class Book 43-9, Midland Army Air Field, Texas, Facebook, Joe Brindley courtesy of KNWA TV