Thomas William Bradham was the son of David Alexander Bradham and Minnie Lucille Oliver. His father was an attorney and at one time a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives. Bradham graduated from Warren High School and the Georgia Military Academy. He also completed three years at the University of Arkansas and at A.I.T.I., Los Angeles, California, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering on 2/19/1941. Bradham went to work in that field with the North American Airplane Company, Dallas, Texas, after graduation. He belonged to the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and was a Presbyterian in religious belief.
On 7/12/1942, Bradham enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. He soon was selected for officer's training as an Aviation Cadet, being assigned to Detachment 1 on 9/1/1942, and training at Chanute Field, Illinois, and Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Bradham was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 3/29/1943 and departed the United States for the Southwest Pacific Theater on 4/23/1943. On 11/1/1943 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and served as group engineer with the 823th Bomber Squadron, 38th Bomber Group, (Medium) nicknamed "The Sun Setters", 5th Air Force, predominantly flying B-25 Mitchell bombers. The 823rd was known as the "Terrible Tigers" and had a angry tiger head as it's squadron patch design. Base camps for the squadron became "Tiger Town" and squadron commanders became known as "The Mayor of Tiger Town". The squadron had been stationed at Port Moresby, Australia, et. al., when in March of 1944 they were transferred to Nadzab Air Field, Lae, Papua New Guinea.
On 2/2/1944 Lt. Bradham's plane and 7 man crew departed Nadzib on a mission over New Guinea. They did not return from that mission and were listed as Missing in Action (MIA) the next day. A finding of death was later made with death date placed at 2/2/1944. As of this writing, the body of Lt. Bradham, his crewmates or the B-25 have never been found.
First Lieutenant Thomas W. Bradham, Sn#O-860171, earned the following badges/decorations for his service during World War II:
- Air Medal (presumed but not verified)
- Purple Heart Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 bronze campaign/battle stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- US Presidential Unit Citation ribbon
The Bradley County, Arkansas, County Court House has a monument called the "Bradley County's Everlasting Tribute"
memorial that lists all of the Bradley County men who have died in the service of their country beginning with World War I. Bradham's name is inscribed on this memorial. There is also a memorial gravestone (cenotaph) placed in his memory at the Oakland Cemetery in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas.
On 7/12/1942, Bradham enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. He soon was selected for officer's training as an Aviation Cadet, being assigned to Detachment 1 on 9/1/1942, and training at Chanute Field, Illinois, and Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Bradham was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 3/29/1943 and departed the United States for the Southwest Pacific Theater on 4/23/1943. On 11/1/1943 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and served as group engineer with the 823th Bomber Squadron, 38th Bomber Group, (Medium) nicknamed "The Sun Setters", 5th Air Force, predominantly flying B-25 Mitchell bombers. The 823rd was known as the "Terrible Tigers" and had a angry tiger head as it's squadron patch design. Base camps for the squadron became "Tiger Town" and squadron commanders became known as "The Mayor of Tiger Town". The squadron had been stationed at Port Moresby, Australia, et. al., when in March of 1944 they were transferred to Nadzab Air Field, Lae, Papua New Guinea.
On 2/2/1944 Lt. Bradham's plane and 7 man crew departed Nadzib on a mission over New Guinea. They did not return from that mission and were listed as Missing in Action (MIA) the next day. A finding of death was later made with death date placed at 2/2/1944. As of this writing, the body of Lt. Bradham, his crewmates or the B-25 have never been found.
First Lieutenant Thomas W. Bradham, Sn#O-860171, earned the following badges/decorations for his service during World War II:
- Air Medal (presumed but not verified)
- Purple Heart Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 bronze campaign/battle stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- US Presidential Unit Citation ribbon
The Bradley County, Arkansas, County Court House has a monument called the "Bradley County's Everlasting Tribute"
memorial that lists all of the Bradley County men who have died in the service of their country beginning with World War I. Bradham's name is inscribed on this memorial. There is also a memorial gravestone (cenotaph) placed in his memory at the Oakland Cemetery in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas.
Thomas William Bradham was the son of David Alexander Bradham and Minnie Lucille Oliver. His father was an attorney and at one time a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives. Bradham graduated from Warren High School and the Georgia Military Academy. He also completed three years at the University of Arkansas and at A.I.T.I., Los Angeles, California, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering on 2/19/1941. Bradham went to work in that field with the North American Airplane Company, Dallas, Texas, after graduation. He belonged to the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and was a Presbyterian in religious belief.
On 7/12/1942, Bradham enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. He soon was selected for officer's training as an Aviation Cadet, being assigned to Detachment 1 on 9/1/1942, and training at Chanute Field, Illinois, and Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Bradham was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 3/29/1943 and departed the United States for the Southwest Pacific Theater on 4/23/1943. On 11/1/1943 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and served as group engineer with the 823th Bomber Squadron, 38th Bomber Group, (Medium) nicknamed "The Sun Setters", 5th Air Force, predominantly flying B-25 Mitchell bombers. The 823rd was known as the "Terrible Tigers" and had a angry tiger head as it's squadron patch design. Base camps for the squadron became "Tiger Town" and squadron commanders became known as "The Mayor of Tiger Town". The squadron had been stationed at Port Moresby, Australia, et. al., when in March of 1944 they were transferred to Nadzab Air Field, Lae, Papua New Guinea.
On 2/2/1944 Lt. Bradham's plane and 7 man crew departed Nadzib on a mission over New Guinea. They did not return from that mission and were listed as Missing in Action (MIA) the next day. A finding of death was later made with death date placed at 2/2/1944. As of this writing, the body of Lt. Bradham, his crewmates or the B-25 have never been found.
First Lieutenant Thomas W. Bradham, Sn#O-860171, earned the following badges/decorations for his service during World War II:
- Air Medal (presumed but not verified)
- Purple Heart Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 bronze campaign/battle stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- US Presidential Unit Citation ribbon
The Bradley County, Arkansas, County Court House has a monument called the "Bradley County's Everlasting Tribute"
memorial that lists all of the Bradley County men who have died in the service of their country beginning with World War I. Bradham's name is inscribed on this memorial. There is also a memorial gravestone (cenotaph) placed in his memory at the Oakland Cemetery in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas.
On 7/12/1942, Bradham enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps. He soon was selected for officer's training as an Aviation Cadet, being assigned to Detachment 1 on 9/1/1942, and training at Chanute Field, Illinois, and Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Bradham was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 3/29/1943 and departed the United States for the Southwest Pacific Theater on 4/23/1943. On 11/1/1943 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and served as group engineer with the 823th Bomber Squadron, 38th Bomber Group, (Medium) nicknamed "The Sun Setters", 5th Air Force, predominantly flying B-25 Mitchell bombers. The 823rd was known as the "Terrible Tigers" and had a angry tiger head as it's squadron patch design. Base camps for the squadron became "Tiger Town" and squadron commanders became known as "The Mayor of Tiger Town". The squadron had been stationed at Port Moresby, Australia, et. al., when in March of 1944 they were transferred to Nadzab Air Field, Lae, Papua New Guinea.
On 2/2/1944 Lt. Bradham's plane and 7 man crew departed Nadzib on a mission over New Guinea. They did not return from that mission and were listed as Missing in Action (MIA) the next day. A finding of death was later made with death date placed at 2/2/1944. As of this writing, the body of Lt. Bradham, his crewmates or the B-25 have never been found.
First Lieutenant Thomas W. Bradham, Sn#O-860171, earned the following badges/decorations for his service during World War II:
- Air Medal (presumed but not verified)
- Purple Heart Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 bronze campaign/battle stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- US Presidential Unit Citation ribbon
The Bradley County, Arkansas, County Court House has a monument called the "Bradley County's Everlasting Tribute"
memorial that lists all of the Bradley County men who have died in the service of their country beginning with World War I. Bradham's name is inscribed on this memorial. There is also a memorial gravestone (cenotaph) placed in his memory at the Oakland Cemetery in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Arkansas.
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