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name
BROOKMAN, Wilburn R - Date of
birth
1924 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Illinois -
Hometown
Hopewell, Marshall County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-711936 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
95th Fighter Squadron,
82nd Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
26 March 1945 - Place of
death
Near Pragersko, Yugoslavia
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| E | 7 | 16 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Sylvanus Brookman (father)
Martha Brookman (mother)
Betty L. Brookman (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-25759 -
Data
Type: P-38L
Destination: Varaždin, Yugoslavia
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 13070
More information
1st Lt Wilburn R. Brookman joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Buckley Field, Denver, Colorado, on 18 February 1944.1st Lt Ernest L. Anderson:
About 1200 hours on 19 March 1945, while strafing in Varaždin Maribor area as I was pulling up after strafing a loco, I saw an airplane with its left inboard wing afire pulling up on the other side of the town. The fire quickly spread and at approximately 200 feet, the airplane made an abrupt wing over and plunged to the ground. By the time the aircraft hit the ground, both left and right wings were afire. I saw no parachute. A column of smoke arose from where it hit. No closer observation was advisable due to light accurate flak at the town of Pragersko, where the plane crashed.
His date of death is set on 26 March 1945; why is not known.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Astrid van Erp, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census, www.fold3.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Patootie, https://newspaperarchive.com