Gerard Bruggink
Encyclopedia
Gerardus Meinardus Bruggink (4 August 1917 – 5 December 2005) was a Dutch
pilot
of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
. A recipient of the Military Order of William, he was one of only four Dutch pilots to dogfight
the Japanese in the Battle of Java
.
Born in Tubbergen
, Overijssel
, Bruggink followed a Catholic
seminar
y. He met his wife, Corien, while serving in the Dutch East Indies and they were married in January 1942. A replica B-339C Brewster Buffalo
(B-3107) was built in July 2008 and delivered to the Netherlands Military Aviation Museum in Soesterberg, the Netherlands, carrying the markings of the plane flown by Bruggink.
and Officer Cadet Jan Scheffer, volunteered to join Capt. Jacob van Helsdingen
on his mission using the last three working Buffalo aircraft on Andir airfield. The four pilots took off on March 7, 1942 and proceeded to Lembang
to provide air support
for ground troops fighting the Japanese in the city.
Helsdingen's squadron travelled 200 metres when they encountered a Japanese aircraft, which Deibel attacked before it escaped. Some time later, three Japanese A6M Zero
s appeared. Deibel fired at two of them which turned away, but was hit in the oil tank by the third Zero and had to break off from combat. His wingman, Jan Scheffer escorted him back to Andir airfield under a tropical rainstorm, where Deibel crashed landed his aircraft without suffering any injuries. Helsdingen and Bruggink remained above Lembang, but were now dogfighting six Zeroes. Helsdingen was soon shot down, but Bruggink managed to escape into the clouds before returning to Andir airfield. Dutch forces in Lembang surrendered the next day. All four Dutch pilots were awarded the Military William Order on July 14, 1948.
and was forced to work at the infamous Burma Railway, while his wife was interned in a camp in Java. They were reunited in December 1945, after the war ended.
Bruggink left the air force in 1955 and immigrated with his family that same year to the United States
, where he worked as a flight instructor for civil aviation in Texas
. In 1959, Bruggink started working for various research organizations, including the National Transportation Safety Board
, inspecting aircraft incidents
and air safety
before retiring in 1982. He died in his home in Skipperville, Alabama
, on 5 December 2005, after a long illness. He was 88 years old.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force was the air arm of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in the Dutch East Indies from 1939 until 1950...
. A recipient of the Military Order of William, he was one of only four Dutch pilots to dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
the Japanese in the Battle of Java
Battle of Java (1942)
The Battle of Java was a battle of the Pacific theatre of World War II. It occurred on the island of Java from 28 February-12 March 1942. It involved forces from the Empire of Japan, which invaded on 28 February 1942, and Allied personnel...
.
Born in Tubbergen
Tubbergen
-Population centres:Albergen, Fleringen, Geesteren, Haarle, Harbrinkhoek, Hezingen, Langeveen, Mander, Manderveen, Mariaparochie, Reutum, Tubbergen and Vasse.-Religion:...
, Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
, Bruggink followed a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
y. He met his wife, Corien, while serving in the Dutch East Indies and they were married in January 1942. A replica B-339C Brewster Buffalo
Brewster Buffalo
The Brewster F2A Buffalo was an American fighter aircraft which saw limited service early in World War II. Though the Buffalo won a competition against the Grumman F4F Wildcat in 1939 to become the US Navy's first monoplane fighter aircraft, it turned out to be a big disappointment...
(B-3107) was built in July 2008 and delivered to the Netherlands Military Aviation Museum in Soesterberg, the Netherlands, carrying the markings of the plane flown by Bruggink.
Military William Order flight
Bruggink, along with Lt. August DeibelAugust Deibel
1st Lieutenant August Gerard Deibel was a Dutch pilot of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. He was part of 2-VLG-V, which was stationed in Singapore before its withdrawal to Java. His unit emblem was a rhinoceros head painted on both sides of the front fuselage on his Brewster...
and Officer Cadet Jan Scheffer, volunteered to join Capt. Jacob van Helsdingen
Jacob van Helsdingen
Jacob Pieter van Helsdingen was a pilot of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. Jacob and August Deibel were the most successful Dutch pilots on the Brewster F2A fighter...
on his mission using the last three working Buffalo aircraft on Andir airfield. The four pilots took off on March 7, 1942 and proceeded to Lembang
Lembang
Lembang is a town in the province of West Java in Java, Indonesia. The population is 183,300.Lembang is situated between 1,312 and 2,084 above sea level. Its highest point is on top of Tangkuban Perahu Mt...
to provide air support
Air Support
Air Support is a 1992 computer game for the Amiga and Atari ST. It is a top-down strategy game, with a first-person mode available for special missions. The game takes place during a retrofuturistic 21st century where all wars are fought in virtual reality. The game was given mostly positive...
for ground troops fighting the Japanese in the city.
Helsdingen's squadron travelled 200 metres when they encountered a Japanese aircraft, which Deibel attacked before it escaped. Some time later, three Japanese A6M Zero
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
s appeared. Deibel fired at two of them which turned away, but was hit in the oil tank by the third Zero and had to break off from combat. His wingman, Jan Scheffer escorted him back to Andir airfield under a tropical rainstorm, where Deibel crashed landed his aircraft without suffering any injuries. Helsdingen and Bruggink remained above Lembang, but were now dogfighting six Zeroes. Helsdingen was soon shot down, but Bruggink managed to escape into the clouds before returning to Andir airfield. Dutch forces in Lembang surrendered the next day. All four Dutch pilots were awarded the Military William Order on July 14, 1948.
Later life
After the Dutch East Indies surrendered, Bruggink became a prisoner of warPrisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and was forced to work at the infamous Burma Railway, while his wife was interned in a camp in Java. They were reunited in December 1945, after the war ended.
Bruggink left the air force in 1955 and immigrated with his family that same year to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he worked as a flight instructor for civil aviation in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In 1959, Bruggink started working for various research organizations, including the National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
, inspecting aircraft incidents
Aviation accidents and incidents
An aviation accident is defined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, in which a...
and air safety
Air safety
Air safety is a term encompassing the theory, investigation and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through regulation, education and training. It can also be applied in the context of campaigns that inform the public as to the safety of air travel.-United...
before retiring in 1982. He died in his home in Skipperville, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, on 5 December 2005, after a long illness. He was 88 years old.