Dates

• Existence: 1921 June 12 - 2015 August 13

Biographical Note: William C. Brookbank

William C. Brookbank served as a fighter pilot during World War II and had a long career in the U.S. Army.

William Caldwell Brookbank was born on June 12, 1921 to Thomass Ruffin and Eula Mae (Jones) Brookbank in Randolph County, North Carolina. He grew up primarily in Ohio.

Brookbank enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1940. He graduated from flight school as a Staff Sargeant and then was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces in October 1943. During World War II, he served as a fighter pilot flying Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and Republic P-47 Thunderbolts in North Africa and Italy, serving with the 317th Fighter Squadron and 325th Fighter Group.

Brookbank was discharged from active service in July 1945 but remained in the reserves. He played semi-professional baseball before being recalled to active duty in 1948. Based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he flew transport aircraft and then served in Korea during the Korean War from 1952-1953.

Later he participated in an exchange program with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1958-1960. He served two tours of duty with NORAD at Hancock Field in Syracuse, New York before returning to Korea from 1962-1963. Following that, he was stationed in North Carolina. He then attended NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy and remained there as Assistant to a Deputy Commander for Air Defense in the NATO forces.

Brookbank served in Vietnam as Director of Air Operations at Monkey Mountain, Vietnam. Finally, he was Commander of the 817th Air Defense Group at Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, Oregon. He retired from this position.

During his service, Brookbank received the Legion of Merit for his outstanding service to the United States as Seventh Air Force Director of the Tactical Air Control Center, North Sector, Son Tra, Republic of Vietnam. In addition, he received the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with Seven Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry.

Brookbank was married to his wife Helen for 62 years and together they had two daughters. William C. Brookbank died on August 13, 2015 in Syracuse, New York.

Biographical note derived from online obituaries and records on Ancestry.com

Gender

• male

Occupations

• Fighter pilots

Places

• North Carolina (Place of Birth)
• New York (State) (Residence)
• New York (State) (Place of Death)

Found in 1 Collection or Record: