George M Bracken | American Air Museum

George M Bracken Jr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

media-26462.jpeg UPL 26462 Boxted Airfield Museum collection

from Boxted archive

Object Number - UPL 26462

George was born in Chicago, IL the only child of George M. Bracken, Sr. and Marie E. Kenney Bracken on 17 June 1921. His mother unfortunately died a week after his birth and he was raised in Chicago by his father. He was the grandson of Andrew James Bracken who was born in Newfane, Niagara, N.Y in 1854, and Catherine Haren from Wisconsin. Andrew later moved to Chicago and established this Bracken line there. George Jr. graduated from Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, Class of 1938, who had him listed for Cisca 2 & 3; Intramural basketball & baseball 1,2,3 & 4; Bantamweight football 1. He lived with his father at 6139 Kenwood Ave. and was employed in the district sales office at Carnegie Illinois Steel Corporation before entering the service in 1942

Assigned to 61FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. During a training flight with the groups OTU, blacked out in Immelman manoeuvre, baled out of P-47 42-75546 at 5000ft being seriously injured in collision with tail of A/C. 22-Apr-44. Died later from wounds 27-Apr-44. (DNB).

Awards: PH.

Connections

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Units served with

56th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

61st Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

Aircraft

42-75546

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
Unit: 56th Fighter Group

Places

Boxted

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Cook County, IL, USA	17 June 1921	Son of George Michael Bracken, Sr and Marie E. Kenney Bracken and grandson of Andrew James Bracken and Catherine Haren Bracken
Enlisted	Chicago, IL, USA	4 August 1942	In 1943 Aviation Cadet Bracken was transferred to the Army pre-flight school at Maxwell Field, Alabama. There he completed tests for assignment as a pilot in training at the Army Air Center I Nashville, Tennessee.
Other Fatally wounded bailing out	Boxted, Colchester, UK	22 April 1944	During a training flight with the groups OTU, blacked out in immelman maneuver, bailed out of P-47 at 5000ft being seriously injured in collision with tail of A/C. 22-Apr-44. Died later from wounds. (DNB).
Other Died from wounds	Colchester, UK	27 April 1944	Died from wounds sustained baling out 27-Apr-44. (DNB).
Buried	Cambridge American Cemetery	28 April 1944	Cambridge American Cemetery Coton, Cambs, UK Plot F, Row 7, Grave 16
Other Memorial Service		12 May 1944	A memorial service was held on May 12, 1944, in Chicago, IL (per the Chicago, Tribune) at St. Cyril's Church. Survived by his father George Sr. who died in 1958.
Based	Boxted	27 April 1944	Assigned to 61FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF.