Brooks, Arthur Raymond

     
Příjmení:
Surname:
Brooks Brooks
Jméno:
Given Name:
Arthur Raymond Arthur Raymond
Jméno v originále:
Original Name:
Arthur Raymond Brooks
Fotografie či obrázek:
Photograph or Picture:
Hodnost:
Rank:
kapitán Captain
Akademický či vědecký titul:
Academic or Scientific Title:
bakalář přírodních věd Bachelor of Science
Šlechtický titul:
Hereditary Title:
- -
Datum, místo narození:
Date and Place of Birth:
01.11.1895 Framingham, Massachusetts
01.11.1895 Framingham, Massachusetts
Datum, místo úmrtí:
Date and Place of Decease:
17.07.1991 Summit, New Jersey
17.07.1991 Summit, New Jersey
Nejvýznamnější funkce:
(maximálně tři)
Most Important Appointments:
(up to three)
Velící důstojník 1. stíhací skupiny Commanding officer 1st Pursuit Group
Jiné významné skutečnosti:
(maximálně tři)
Other Notable Facts:
(up to three)
Americké stíhací eso první světové války se šesti sestřely a průkopník vývoje vybavení letecké rádiové navigace. World War I flying ace of the United States Army Air Service credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft. He was a pioneer in the development of radio navigational aids.
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Zdroje:
Sources:
https://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/brooks.php
en.wikipedia.org
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Brooks-Arthur-Raymond-t86065#318396 Version : 0
     
Příjmení:
Surname:
Brooks Brooks
Jméno:
Given Name:
Arthur Raymond Arthur Raymond
Jméno v originále:
Original Name:
Arthur Raymond Brooks
Všeobecné vzdělání:
General Education:
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Vojenské vzdělání:
Military Education:
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Důstojnické hodnosti:
Officer Ranks:
DD.MM.RRRR kapitán
DD.MM.RRRR Captain
Průběh vojenské služby:
Military Career:
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Vyznamenání:
Awards:
Poznámka:
Note:
- -
Zdroje:
Sources:
https://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/brooks.php
en.wikipedia.org
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Brooks-Arthur-Raymond-t86065#450234 Version : 0
Arthur Raymond "Ray" Brooks

* November 1, 1895
+ July 17, 1991

American World War I fighter ace with 6 kills and a pioneer in the development of aerial radio navigation.

Brooks was born November 1, 1895 in Framingham, Massachusetts. He graduated from the local academy in 1913 and was chosen to give the farewell address for all the students. He then graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1917 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrochemical engineering.

In July of that year, he joined the Aviation Section, as the U.S. Signal Corps was then called. He received actual flight training with the British Royal Flying Corps at the School of Wartime Aeronautics in Toronto, Canada, from September to November 1917.

After completing basic training, he was assigned to the 139th Aero Squadron, which trained in Texas until February 1918. The squadron then moved to France. Here its pilots, like other American fighters, underwent advanced fighter training at the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, American Expeditionary Force (AEF) at Issoudun. Upon completion of training, the squadron moved to the Vaucouleurs frontline airfield in the Toul sector. The squadron's armament consisted of SPADs S.VII, which it soon replaced with more modern SPADs S.XIII.

The interceptor became operational 30.06.1918, but it took Brooks nearly a month to have his first success in aerial combat. So far, there was no indication that this pilot would become a future fighter ace. Slowly, however, he was gaining experience and learning. On July 29, he achieved his first success when he shot down a German Pfalz D.III fighter.

16.08. He was then transferred to the newly formed 22nd Aero Squadron, where he was appointed to the position of Squadron Leader C. Ray Brooks quickly became comfortable with his new unit. It was also he who was the creator of the unit's famous emblem - a beautiful dark blue comet with a white star and red tail. At the time, Brooks was flying with SPADS S.XIII, which bore the combat names Smith I - IV, in honor of his fiancée Ruth Connery, then a student at Smith's University of Massachusetts.

The same day Ray arrived at the unit, the squadron reached full tabular strength. On the unit's first combat flight, Lt. Sperry on August 21,1918. The unit's account was then opened by Brooks when he shot down a reconnaissance Rumpler on September 2. Two days later, Brooks added another kill, but then came 14.09.

On that day, Brooks led a four-man swarm to escort a reconnaissance Salmson 2 A2. However, when Brooks and his men arrived at the agreed upon rendezvous point, they were suddenly attacked by 12 red-nosed Fokkers D. VII from Jasta 15, led by Lt. Georg von Hantelmann. Brooks was able to separate and dropped 8 Fokkers right behind him. Hantelmann and his foursome meanwhile attacked the remaining three SPADs and within moments all three were shot down by the Germans, Hantelmann scoring one kill. Of the Americans, Lt. Kimber and Lt. Little to land unharmed in the Allied lines, while Lt. Hassinger was killed.

Brooks, meanwhile, fought for his life. And he held up well - he managed to shoot down two Fokkers and severely damage two others. The fighting fervor of the other four began to wane, but at that point Hantelmann's foursome returned to the scene. Such odds were indeed too much. Brooks fought desperately with the enemy superiority and finally, surprisingly, managed to bring the punctured machine to the Allied positions for an emergency landing without injury. His damaged SPAD Smith III was even repairable.

Brooks scored his fourth and fifth kills in this engagement, making him the first ace of the 22nd AS. Brooks had no thought of celebrating, however. This bout exhausted him both physically and mentally, which eventually led to his being sent to the Vittel Spa. He was also nominated for the Medal of Honor, but after reviewing the circumstances of his heroic fight, he received "only" the Distinguished Service Cross. The citation for this award stated:

"The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Arthur Raymond Brooks, Second Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action over Mars-la-Tour, France, on September 14, 1918. When his patrol was attacked by 12 enemy Fokkers over Mars-la-Tour, eight miles behind enemy lines, Second Lieutenant Brooks himself fought bravely and doggedly with eight of them, pursuing the fight from 5,000 feet to within a few feet of the ground, and although he was without directional control and his plane was riddled with bullets, he destroyed two Fokkers, one in an uncontrolled crash and another which burst into flames."

After recovering, Brooks returned to action and achieved his final success on October 9. On that day, heavy fog lay over the American airfield at Ceil. It began to break up at noon, allowing Brooks to take off at the head of seven other Spads S. XIIIs of 22 Squadron on patrol. Brooks flew in aircraft serial number S 7689, marked with the number 20 and the inscription "Smith IV". This aircraft was interesting because it was on its fuselage that the entire squadron's kills were marked in the form of white tombstones with black crosses.

The patrol climbed to an altitude of 3,500 metres and set course for the Verdun area. At 13.50 hrs. The Americans spotted four German two-seat DFW escorted by nearly a dozen Fokker D.VIIs. Brooks led the squadron in the attack. In the ensuing battle, he shot down one DFW in cooperation with Second Lieutenant Jones, who then destroyed another. This gave him five kills and made him an ace.

Unfortunately, Brooks did not achieve further success until the end of the war. However, his undoubted leadership qualities earned him a promotion to lieutenant on 6 November, on 11 November celebrated the end of the war with the other pilots of the squadron, and on 27 November took over from Capt. Bridgeman took command of the entire 22nd Aero Squadron.

The squadron remained in France until July 1919 as it was held in reserve by the occupation forces. Upon his return to the States, Brooks was promoted to Captain and on August 19,1919 took command of the 95th. On 29 June 1920, he then took command of the entire 1st Pursuit Group. He then turned over command of the group on December 21,1921 and was sent to Field Officer's School at Langley Field, Virginia. Although he successfully completed his studies, he was discharged from the service at his own request in December 1922, due to dissatisfaction with his slow career progress.

In 1920, he also finally married his love, Ruth. Their only child, Peter, was born in 1929.

Brooks' first job after his discharge from the Air Force was as secretary of the National Automobile Association, a position he held from 1923-24. During 1924-25 he worked in advertising sales for a financial magazine, but his desire was to return to flying. In late 1925 he was involved in the formation of the Airways Corporation. However, the company was struggling financially, so Brooks left the company, now known as Eastern Airways, in August 1926 to work for the aviation department of the Department of Commerce. He worked there for the next seventeen months as chief superintendent of flight lines and associate airline engineer. His main duties were to survey the flight lines and oversee the installation of radio beacons to assist air mail pilots in navigating the Appalachian Mountains on flights from Virginia to Pennsylvania. Brooks retired from government service in early 1928 and was hired by the communications firm Bell Telephone Laboratories in Hadley Field, New Jersey. He remained there for several decades, during which time he worked as a scientist, engineer, and chief pilot in pioneering research on airborne radio communications equipment and electronic navigation. During much of this time, he flew the Fairchild FC2-W and Ford Tri-Motor aircraft, which functioned as a flying laboratory. Brooks retired in 1960.

Sometime around 1985, at the age of 90, Ray Brooks visited the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum in Maryland. On its grounds, he suddenly spotted a tattered old Spad S.XIII. When he got closer, he was amazed to discover that it was his plane, a Smith IV. He began to climb into the cockpit and was immediately warned by a local employee that it was forbidden to touch the exhibits, much less sit in them. Ray Brooks immediately began to explain that this was his own aircraft, which he had fought in during WW1, and to prove it, he immediately gave him the serial number of the aircraft, which was not visible. Although Ray looked to be in his nineties, he expressed himself as a young man. He chatted with the impressed technician about various technical details and the deployment of the aircraft in France. Thus began Ray Brooks' collaboration with the museum, which culminated two years later with the unveiling of a fully restored Smith IV in the museum's new gallery. Ray Brooks, as guest of honour, cut the ribbon in a triumphant ceremony.


Brooks remained active in aviation for the rest of his life. Even in his nineties, he enjoyed flying all types of aircraft, including ultralights, gliders and hot air balloons. He was a member of many professional associations and organizations related to aviation, and published in Cross and Cockade magazine. He actively attended numerous aviation days and reunions, including the 65th and final Lafayette Air Corps Veterans Reunion in Paris in 1983. He was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame in 1980.

Ray Brooks died as one of America's last World War I aces on July 17, 1991, at his home in Summit, New Jersey.


A list of A. R. Brooks:


OrderDate/TimeUnitLethalOpponentLocationNote
1.
July 29, 1918

139. AS

Pfalz D.III
Heudicourt

2.
02.09.1918
09.30
22. AS
SPAD S.XIII
Rumpler C
Armaucourt

3.
04.09.1918
13.30
22. AS
SPAD S.XIII
Fokker D.VII
Barnecourt
With the cooperation of Lt. C. Jones and Lt. F. B. Tyndall
4.
14.09.1918
15.20
22. AS
SPAD S.XIII
Fokker D.VII
Mars-la-Tour
With Lt.P. E. Hassinger
5.
14.09.1918
15.25
22. AS
SPAD S.XIII
Fokker D.VII
Mars-la-Tour
With Lt.P. E. Hassinger
6.
09.10.1918
14.35
22. AS
SPAD S.XIII
DFW C
Aincreville
With the cooperation of Lt. J. Bean and Lt. C. Jones

Sources:

REVI Magazine 22
https://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/brooks.php
en.wikipedia.org
www.nasm.si.edu
chezjacq.com
https://www.angelfire.com/ct/US22/histUS22.html
https://www.1stfighter.com/history/1919.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Operations_Group
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Brooks-Arthur-Raymond-t86065#318399 Version : 0
airandspace.si.edu

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