Houston Lee Braly Jr
Military ROLL OF HONOURAssigned to 383FS, 364FG, 8AF USAAF. Best friend of Lt Roy C Blaha. Failed to Return (FTR) strafing mission to NE Paris in P-51D 44-13797, his element strafed a camouflaged train in a siding, on the fourth pass, out of ammo and following his element leader, who still had ammo, flew through massive explosion from train, which ripped off the A/C's wings and tail. Crashed Remy, near Compiegne. Pilot Lt Houston L Braly Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 8672.
The plane landed in a garden in the front of a house, setting the house afire. As the house had running water, the villagers were able to quickly extinguish it. Next, they did their best to extricate the body of Lt Houston Braly. The fallen pilot's body was carried to a nearby building and wrapped in the silk of his parachute and covered with fresh flowers. Later, having been interred in Remy cemetery, those villagers would defy Nazi orders and continue to pile his gravesite with flowers.
Awards: PH.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 383rd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19095360 / O-756456
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 383rd Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: RAF Honington
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Brady, TX 76825, USA | 29 January 1922 | Son of Houston Lee and Vonna Violet [Quick] Braly. |
Enlisted |
Dallas, TX, USA | 15 June 1942 | |
Died |
Remy, France | 2 August 1944 | Failed to Return (FTR) strafing mission to NE Paris in P-51D 44-13797, his element strafed a camouflaged train in a siding, on the fourth pass, out of ammo and following his element leader, who still had ammo, flew through massive explosion from train, which ripped off the A/C's wings and tail. Crashed Remy, near Compiegne. Pilot Lt Houston L Braly Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 8672. |
Buried |
Remy, France | 3 August 1944 | Remy cemetery France |
Other Promotion |
Honington, Bury Saint Edmunds IP31, UK | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. | |
Based |
Honington | 2 August 1944 | Assigned to 383FS, 364FG, 8AF USAAF. |
McCulloch County, TX, USA | |||
Buried |
Brady, TX 76825, USA | Resthaven Cemetery Brady McCulloch County Texas, USA |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/page/84797927_houston_l%20braly%20jr/details/
https://www.fold3.com/image/28692378
https://www.fold3.com/image/310952992/?terms=Houston%20L%20Braly
https://www.fold3.com/image/29036470/?terms=Houston%20L%20Braly
https://www.fold3.com/image/317645457
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8054977
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8672 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list