The remains of U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Fred L. Brewer Jr., a Soldier killed during World War II, will be interred Dec. 6 at Salisbury National Cemetery, Salisbury, North Carolina. The previous release date was incorrect. Grier Funeral Service, Charlotte, North Carolina, will perform graveside services preceding the interment.
A native of Charlotte, Brewer was a pilot with the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen. He was one of 57 fighters who departed Ramitelli Air Base, Italy, Oct. 19, 1944, on a mission to escort bombers to their targets in Regensburg, Germany. The bomber group encountered heavy cloud cover over the Udine area of Italy, forcing several escort fighters to return early. According to one pilots, Brewer attempted a steep climb to get above the cloud cover, which caused the engine of his P-51C Mustang to stall. It was reported Brewer’s aircraft, Traveling Light, rolled over with the canopy jettisoned, but he was not observed ejecting from the plane. Brewer’s remains were not recovered, and he was subsequently declared missing in action at age 23.
In 2022, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency exhumed Unknown Remains X-125, from the Florence American Cemetery in Impruneta, Italy, for forensic analysis. The remains had been recovered from the crash site and buried in the cemetery around 2011. Brewer was accounted for by the DPAA Aug. 10, 2023 after his remains were identified using circumstantial evidence as well as anthropological, mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA analysis.
His name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery along with others still missing from World War II. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
For additional information about 2nd Lt. Brewer, go to: https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/News-Releases/PressReleaseArticleView/Article/3513337/pilot-accounted-for-from-wwii-brewer-f/
Media interested in covering and/or obtaining more information about the funeral and interment should contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490 and/or Grier Funeral Service, 704-332-7109.
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| Date Taken: |
12.01.2023 |
| Date Posted: |
12.01.2023 13:04 |
| Story ID: |
458902 |
| Location: |
FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: |
165 |
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0 |
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This work, Remains of World War II Soldier to be buried in Salisbury, North Carolina Dec. 6, by Fonda Bock, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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