2nd Lt. Walter Francis Brookings
Co-Pilot on ten B-17's for the 8th Army Air Force,
384th Bomb Group (Heavy), 545th Bomb Squad.
(Tail numbers for all 10 are listed in his other memorial page - link below)
384th Individual Personnel Data:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=472
Flew 19 mission (6 were aborted) credited with 13 completed missions.
On 19March1944 (at about 4pm- at 21,000' ) his B-17, Lovell's Hovel, was hit by Flak (near the radio room) AFTER bombs were away;
Lovell's Hovel began burning and filled with smoke.
Thanks to the skilled flying of the Pilot, James Lovell and Co-Pilot, Walter Brookings, two chutes were able to emerge (Kardos & Oldham), with one on fire (Oldham - who was severely burned);
20 seconds later, the plane exploded.
Two crew members where blown out of the plane,
Lewis & Bachicha, thankfully had their chutes on.
ALL 4 crew were later captured by the Germans and were POW's.
Their names are:
--The two who were blown out:
1) Navigator- 2nd LT. Joseph Franklin Lewis - Cumberland, MD
2) Bombardier- 2nd LT. Martin Paul Bachicha - El Paso, TX
--The two who bailed out:
3) Tail Gunner- S/Sgt. Louis Julius Kardos - Kearney, NJ
4) Left Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt. Jesse Zera Oldham - Carrollton, MS
Documented facts and observations by crew member, Bachicha, in the MACR link below.
The plane was seen spiraling down with flames pouring from all parts of aircraft;
Lovell's Hovel crashed near Wavrans-sur-Ternoise, which is a very small village near a larger town called St Pol-sur-Ternoise, France.
Missing Air Crew Report-aka MACR link;
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/MACRs/MACR3242.pdf
Lt. Brookings and 5 others were KIA.
Pilot-1st Lt.James MacNaughton Lovell
(FAG#140345676) Buried: Calumet, Michigan
Radio Operator- S/Sgt.Minot Fred Deftos
(FAG#41836091) Buried: Missouri National Cem in St.Louis
Eng/Top Turret- T/Sgt.Calvin Oscar Lewis Fowlkes
(FAG# 41836132)Also buried at Missouri Nat'l Cem in St.Louis
Ball Turret- S/Sgt.James Hansel Johnson jr.
(FAG#25697667) Buried: Sulphur Springs, Texas
Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt.Doye Herman Blankenship
(FAG#53853961) Buried: Gladehill, Virginia
384th- Lovell's Hovel plane information:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thAircraft.php?AircraftKey=42-31926
*Special Note: His family headstone is engraved with a memorial of his name.
Findagrave Memorial Page: Walter F. Brookings 106447011
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Joseph G. Brookings (Mother)
126 Cypress Street
Brookline, Massachusetts
AWARDS:
Purple Heart
Air Medal with bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
(bronze Oak Leaf Cluster is given in lieu of 2nd Air Medal)
Co-Pilot on ten B-17's for the 8th Army Air Force,
384th Bomb Group (Heavy), 545th Bomb Squad.
(Tail numbers for all 10 are listed in his other memorial page - link below)
384th Individual Personnel Data:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=472
Flew 19 mission (6 were aborted) credited with 13 completed missions.
On 19March1944 (at about 4pm- at 21,000' ) his B-17, Lovell's Hovel, was hit by Flak (near the radio room) AFTER bombs were away;
Lovell's Hovel began burning and filled with smoke.
Thanks to the skilled flying of the Pilot, James Lovell and Co-Pilot, Walter Brookings, two chutes were able to emerge (Kardos & Oldham), with one on fire (Oldham - who was severely burned);
20 seconds later, the plane exploded.
Two crew members where blown out of the plane,
Lewis & Bachicha, thankfully had their chutes on.
ALL 4 crew were later captured by the Germans and were POW's.
Their names are:
--The two who were blown out:
1) Navigator- 2nd LT. Joseph Franklin Lewis - Cumberland, MD
2) Bombardier- 2nd LT. Martin Paul Bachicha - El Paso, TX
--The two who bailed out:
3) Tail Gunner- S/Sgt. Louis Julius Kardos - Kearney, NJ
4) Left Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt. Jesse Zera Oldham - Carrollton, MS
Documented facts and observations by crew member, Bachicha, in the MACR link below.
The plane was seen spiraling down with flames pouring from all parts of aircraft;
Lovell's Hovel crashed near Wavrans-sur-Ternoise, which is a very small village near a larger town called St Pol-sur-Ternoise, France.
Missing Air Crew Report-aka MACR link;
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/MACRs/MACR3242.pdf
Lt. Brookings and 5 others were KIA.
Pilot-1st Lt.James MacNaughton Lovell
(FAG#140345676) Buried: Calumet, Michigan
Radio Operator- S/Sgt.Minot Fred Deftos
(FAG#41836091) Buried: Missouri National Cem in St.Louis
Eng/Top Turret- T/Sgt.Calvin Oscar Lewis Fowlkes
(FAG# 41836132)Also buried at Missouri Nat'l Cem in St.Louis
Ball Turret- S/Sgt.James Hansel Johnson jr.
(FAG#25697667) Buried: Sulphur Springs, Texas
Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt.Doye Herman Blankenship
(FAG#53853961) Buried: Gladehill, Virginia
384th- Lovell's Hovel plane information:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thAircraft.php?AircraftKey=42-31926
*Special Note: His family headstone is engraved with a memorial of his name.
Findagrave Memorial Page: Walter F. Brookings 106447011
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Joseph G. Brookings (Mother)
126 Cypress Street
Brookline, Massachusetts
AWARDS:
Purple Heart
Air Medal with bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
(bronze Oak Leaf Cluster is given in lieu of 2nd Air Medal)
2nd Lt. Walter Francis Brookings
Co-Pilot on ten B-17's for the 8th Army Air Force,
384th Bomb Group (Heavy), 545th Bomb Squad.
(Tail numbers for all 10 are listed in his other memorial page - link below)
384th Individual Personnel Data:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=472
Flew 19 mission (6 were aborted) credited with 13 completed missions.
On 19March1944 (at about 4pm- at 21,000' ) his B-17, Lovell's Hovel, was hit by Flak (near the radio room) AFTER bombs were away;
Lovell's Hovel began burning and filled with smoke.
Thanks to the skilled flying of the Pilot, James Lovell and Co-Pilot, Walter Brookings, two chutes were able to emerge (Kardos & Oldham), with one on fire (Oldham - who was severely burned);
20 seconds later, the plane exploded.
Two crew members where blown out of the plane,
Lewis & Bachicha, thankfully had their chutes on.
ALL 4 crew were later captured by the Germans and were POW's.
Their names are:
--The two who were blown out:
1) Navigator- 2nd LT. Joseph Franklin Lewis - Cumberland, MD
2) Bombardier- 2nd LT. Martin Paul Bachicha - El Paso, TX
--The two who bailed out:
3) Tail Gunner- S/Sgt. Louis Julius Kardos - Kearney, NJ
4) Left Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt. Jesse Zera Oldham - Carrollton, MS
Documented facts and observations by crew member, Bachicha, in the MACR link below.
The plane was seen spiraling down with flames pouring from all parts of aircraft;
Lovell's Hovel crashed near Wavrans-sur-Ternoise, which is a very small village near a larger town called St Pol-sur-Ternoise, France.
Missing Air Crew Report-aka MACR link;
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/MACRs/MACR3242.pdf
Lt. Brookings and 5 others were KIA.
Pilot-1st Lt.James MacNaughton Lovell
(FAG#140345676) Buried: Calumet, Michigan
Radio Operator- S/Sgt.Minot Fred Deftos
(FAG#41836091) Buried: Missouri National Cem in St.Louis
Eng/Top Turret- T/Sgt.Calvin Oscar Lewis Fowlkes
(FAG# 41836132)Also buried at Missouri Nat'l Cem in St.Louis
Ball Turret- S/Sgt.James Hansel Johnson jr.
(FAG#25697667) Buried: Sulphur Springs, Texas
Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt.Doye Herman Blankenship
(FAG#53853961) Buried: Gladehill, Virginia
384th- Lovell's Hovel plane information:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thAircraft.php?AircraftKey=42-31926
*Special Note: His family headstone is engraved with a memorial of his name.
Findagrave Memorial Page: Walter F. Brookings 106447011
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Joseph G. Brookings (Mother)
126 Cypress Street
Brookline, Massachusetts
AWARDS:
Purple Heart
Air Medal with bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
(bronze Oak Leaf Cluster is given in lieu of 2nd Air Medal)
Co-Pilot on ten B-17's for the 8th Army Air Force,
384th Bomb Group (Heavy), 545th Bomb Squad.
(Tail numbers for all 10 are listed in his other memorial page - link below)
384th Individual Personnel Data:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=472
Flew 19 mission (6 were aborted) credited with 13 completed missions.
On 19March1944 (at about 4pm- at 21,000' ) his B-17, Lovell's Hovel, was hit by Flak (near the radio room) AFTER bombs were away;
Lovell's Hovel began burning and filled with smoke.
Thanks to the skilled flying of the Pilot, James Lovell and Co-Pilot, Walter Brookings, two chutes were able to emerge (Kardos & Oldham), with one on fire (Oldham - who was severely burned);
20 seconds later, the plane exploded.
Two crew members where blown out of the plane,
Lewis & Bachicha, thankfully had their chutes on.
ALL 4 crew were later captured by the Germans and were POW's.
Their names are:
--The two who were blown out:
1) Navigator- 2nd LT. Joseph Franklin Lewis - Cumberland, MD
2) Bombardier- 2nd LT. Martin Paul Bachicha - El Paso, TX
--The two who bailed out:
3) Tail Gunner- S/Sgt. Louis Julius Kardos - Kearney, NJ
4) Left Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt. Jesse Zera Oldham - Carrollton, MS
Documented facts and observations by crew member, Bachicha, in the MACR link below.
The plane was seen spiraling down with flames pouring from all parts of aircraft;
Lovell's Hovel crashed near Wavrans-sur-Ternoise, which is a very small village near a larger town called St Pol-sur-Ternoise, France.
Missing Air Crew Report-aka MACR link;
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/MACRs/MACR3242.pdf
Lt. Brookings and 5 others were KIA.
Pilot-1st Lt.James MacNaughton Lovell
(FAG#140345676) Buried: Calumet, Michigan
Radio Operator- S/Sgt.Minot Fred Deftos
(FAG#41836091) Buried: Missouri National Cem in St.Louis
Eng/Top Turret- T/Sgt.Calvin Oscar Lewis Fowlkes
(FAG# 41836132)Also buried at Missouri Nat'l Cem in St.Louis
Ball Turret- S/Sgt.James Hansel Johnson jr.
(FAG#25697667) Buried: Sulphur Springs, Texas
Flexible Gunner- S/Sgt.Doye Herman Blankenship
(FAG#53853961) Buried: Gladehill, Virginia
384th- Lovell's Hovel plane information:
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thAircraft.php?AircraftKey=42-31926
*Special Note: His family headstone is engraved with a memorial of his name.
Findagrave Memorial Page: Walter F. Brookings 106447011
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Joseph G. Brookings (Mother)
126 Cypress Street
Brookline, Massachusetts
AWARDS:
Purple Heart
Air Medal with bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
(bronze Oak Leaf Cluster is given in lieu of 2nd Air Medal)
