Allison Brooks
Encyclopedia
Allison C. Brooks was a United States Air Force
aviator who piloted both the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and North American P-51 Mustang aircraft in combat missions over Nazi Germany
during World War II
. In the Vietnam War
, he flew Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft in combat support missions. In addition to earning numerous military decorations, he was ultimately promoted to the rank of major general
and served in active duty until 1971.
, and earned his Bachelor of Science
degree from the University of California, Berkeley
in 1938. He enlisted a year later as an aviation cadet in the United States Army Air Corps
, and graduated from Kelly Field in 1940 with a commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings.
His first assignment after graduation was as an instructor with the Air Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base
in Texas. In 1943, he went overseas to the European Theater of Operations
as operations officer of the 401st Bombardment Group. He was next assigned as executive officer and later as commander of the 1st Air Division Fighter Scouting Force which flew P-51 aircraft. During World War II, he flew 65 combat missions for a total of 310 hours in the B-17 and P-51 aircraft. He participated in the campaigns of Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; and Central Europe. He commanded an August 1944 raid by the 401st Bombardment Group on a V-weapons factory that was adjacent to the inmate barracks at the Buchenwald concentration camp
.
, Kansas. In 1951, he returned to Maxwell Air Force Base
, Alabama, as a student in the Air War College
.
Brooks has been assigned to various units of the Military Airlift Command
since June 1952 with the exception of a one-year tour of duty from January 1964 to March 1965, in Southeast Asia as deputy commander, 2nd Air Division
.
In June 1952, he was assigned as operations staff officer, 1300th Air Base Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base
, Idaho. In September 1952, he was assigned duties as deputy commander, 1602nd Air Transport Wing, Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
, Germany
. In July 1955, he assumed command of the 1602nd Air Transport Wing.
He returned to the United States in September 1955 and was assigned to Headquarters Military Airlift Command
, Andrews Air Force Base
, Maryland, as chief, Manpower and Organization, and in June 1957, he assumed duties as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. In August 1960, Brooks was reassigned as commander, 62nd Troop Carrier Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Washington. In January 1964 he went to Tan Son Nhut Air Base
, Republic of Vietnam
, as deputy commander, 2nd Air Division. During his tour of duty in Southeast Asia, he flew 31 missions in combat support operations.
In March 1965, Brooks assumed command of the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (Military Airlift Command) with headquarters at Orlando Air Force Base, Florida. The headquarters was transferred to Scott Air Force Base
, Illinois, in 1968.
, Brooks was the first to fly an experimental device attached to an HC-130H called the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
. This demonstrated the effectiveness of recovering personnel on the ground if they could launch a helium filled balloon. The balloon tether cable was snatched by the V-shaped apparatus which was mounted on the nose of the aircraft.
Brooks assumed duty as Deputy Director for Inspection Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Administration), Washington, D.C.
, in April 1970. He retired from active duty on July 1, 1971.
His military decorations include the Legion of Merit
with oak leaf cluster
, Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal
with eight oak leaf clusters, Soldier's Medal
, Bronze Star
, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and French Croix de Guerre
. He is a command pilot. He was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective February 24, 1970, with date of rank on August 10, 1965.
In 2002, General Brooks was interviewed on the subject of whether President Franklin D. Roosevelt
should have ordered the bombing of the Nazi death camps during World War II
.
General Brooks died in Sequim, Washington
on December 9, 2006.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
aviator who piloted both the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and North American P-51 Mustang aircraft in combat missions over Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, he flew Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft in combat support missions. In addition to earning numerous military decorations, he was ultimately promoted to the rank of major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
and served in active duty until 1971.
Early life and career
Brooks was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1917. He attended high school in Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, and earned his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1938. He enlisted a year later as an aviation cadet in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
, and graduated from Kelly Field in 1940 with a commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings.
His first assignment after graduation was as an instructor with the Air Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
in Texas. In 1943, he went overseas to the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
as operations officer of the 401st Bombardment Group. He was next assigned as executive officer and later as commander of the 1st Air Division Fighter Scouting Force which flew P-51 aircraft. During World War II, he flew 65 combat missions for a total of 310 hours in the B-17 and P-51 aircraft. He participated in the campaigns of Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; and Central Europe. He commanded an August 1944 raid by the 401st Bombardment Group on a V-weapons factory that was adjacent to the inmate barracks at the Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
.
Post World War II
Brooks is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff School and has served as an instructor in air operations at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas. In 1951, he returned to Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
, Alabama, as a student in the Air War College
Air War College
The Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
.
Brooks has been assigned to various units of the Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
since June 1952 with the exception of a one-year tour of duty from January 1964 to March 1965, in Southeast Asia as deputy commander, 2nd Air Division
2nd Air Division
The 2d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-Third Air Force, being stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida...
.
In June 1952, he was assigned as operations staff officer, 1300th Air Base Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base
Mountain Home Air Force Base
Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in southwestern Idaho, United States. The base is in Elmore County, 12 miles southwest of the city of Mountain Home, which is 40 miles southeast of Boise, via Interstate 84.The host unit at Mountain Home since 1972...
, Idaho. In September 1952, he was assigned duties as deputy commander, 1602nd Air Transport Wing, Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base is a German Air Force airfield located near the town of Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, near Munich, Germany....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In July 1955, he assumed command of the 1602nd Air Transport Wing.
He returned to the United States in September 1955 and was assigned to Headquarters Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
, Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
, Maryland, as chief, Manpower and Organization, and in June 1957, he assumed duties as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. In August 1960, Brooks was reassigned as commander, 62nd Troop Carrier Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Washington. In January 1964 he went to Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
, Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, as deputy commander, 2nd Air Division. During his tour of duty in Southeast Asia, he flew 31 missions in combat support operations.
In March 1965, Brooks assumed command of the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (Military Airlift Command) with headquarters at Orlando Air Force Base, Florida. The headquarters was transferred to Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville.-Overview:The base is named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash...
, Illinois, in 1968.
Later life
In 1966, at Edwards Air Force BaseEdwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
, Brooks was the first to fly an experimental device attached to an HC-130H called the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
The Fulton surface-to-air recovery system is a system used by the CIA, United States Air Force and United States Navy for retrieving persons on the ground from an MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft. It involves using an overall-type harness and a self-inflating balloon which carries an attached lift...
. This demonstrated the effectiveness of recovering personnel on the ground if they could launch a helium filled balloon. The balloon tether cable was snatched by the V-shaped apparatus which was mounted on the nose of the aircraft.
Brooks assumed duty as Deputy Director for Inspection Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Administration), Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in April 1970. He retired from active duty on July 1, 1971.
His military decorations include the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with oak leaf cluster
Oak leaf cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
, Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
with eight oak leaf clusters, Soldier's Medal
Soldier's Medal
The Soldier's Medal is a military award of the United States Army. It was introduced as Section 11 of the Air Corps Act, passed by the Congress of the United States on July 2, 1926...
, Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, and French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
. He is a command pilot. He was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective February 24, 1970, with date of rank on August 10, 1965.
In 2002, General Brooks was interviewed on the subject of whether President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
should have ordered the bombing of the Nazi death camps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
General Brooks died in Sequim, Washington
Sequim, Washington
Sequim is a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. The 2010 US Census counted a population of 6,606. Sequim is located along the Dungeness River near the base of the Olympic Mountains...
on December 9, 2006.
External links
- United States Air Force official biography of Major General Allison C. Brooks
- Fulton Surface-To-Air Recovery System, described in LookSmart FindArticles, which references Colonel Allison Brooks
- "The Man Who Wouldn't Quit", Biography of Immanuel J. “Manny” Klette by Roger A. Freeman, references Lt. Col Allison Brooks, Commander of the 1st Scouting Force, in the 14th paragraph of that web page
- Chapter One, Another Time, Another Place, Lady Lois, "Mary Ruth" Memories of Mobile... We Still Remember, by 2001 Lowell L. Getz, Stories from the 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force, World War II, references LTC Allison Brooks and further describes the bombing mission led by Manny Klette
- Aerospace Rescue and Recovery — Southeast Asia to Apollo by Brigadier General Allison C. Brooks
- Obituary of Allison C. Brooks, Peninsula Daily News, December 19, 2006
- Letter by Stuart Erdheim, The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies
- Rendering of P-51D 44-13686 5E-N "Rugged Rebel" as commanded by Lt. Col. Alison C Brooks
- Photograph of P-51D 44-13686 5E-N "Rugged Rebel" previously flown by Lt. Col. Alison C Brooks