Allen Arthur Brill
Military ROLL OF HONOURUSAAF Photo
Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Killed in Action (KIA) on 4-Mar-43 in B-17 41-24464 'Excalibur', 91BG/324BS while serving as Pilot. Aircraft was ditched into North Sea 40 miles west of Texel Island, Holland after repeated fighter attacks. Plane broke in two. 7 crewmembers were picked up by a British minesweeper.
Awards: DSC, AM (2OLC), PH.
DSC Award Citation:
"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Allen Brill (ASN: 0-442336), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-17 Heavy Bomber in the 324th Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, in action while on a bombing mission over enemy occupied continental Europe. The airplane in which Lieutenant Brill was serving was attacked by a force of enemy fighter aircraft and was forced down on the North Sea after a long and gallant fight. In utter disregard for his own safety Lieutenant Brill remained at his post and aided other crew members to leave the airplane; in so doing, he sacrificed his own chance for escape. By his devotion to duty and complete disregard for his personal welfare Lieutenant Brill helped to save the lives of other crew members, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the armed forces of the United States.
General Orders: Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army, General Orders No. 31 (May 22, 1943)"
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-793974
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 7009151
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37088931
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14044021 / O-660325
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Excalibur
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 4 March 1943
- Date: 26 February 1943
- Date: 14 February 1943
- Date: 4 February 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Cambridge American Military Cemetery
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
22 November 1916 | Son of Arthur and Lena Beatrice [Brittendall] Brill. | |
Enlisted |
15 August 1941 | Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. | |
Died |
4 March 1943 | Killed when aircraft was sshot down by fighters and crashed into the North Sea 40 miles west of Texel Island, Holland. Killed in Action (KIA) | |
Other Commemorated |
Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery. | ||
Based |
4 March 1943 | Assigned to 324BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/image/310952966
https://www.fold3.com/image/619484194
https://www.fold3.com/record/84564292/allen-a-brill-wwii-army-enlistmen…
https://www.fold3.com/record/529897036/allen-brill-american-battle-monu…
https://www.fold3.com/record/717721431/brill-allen-defense-powmia-accou…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56288077/allen-arthur-brill
Lee Cunningham 23-Jun-2015. Added decorations and Commemorted event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) records; Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Added KIA event, added A/C model letter, unit association and crew position to Summary Biography per "Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces" Stan Bishop & John A Hey MBE.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I p.87 by Bishop and Hey