World War II hero celebrates 99th birthday in Ellerbe
Aug. 21—ELLERBE — Year after year, the world loses its finest examples of the greatest generation.
Bill Brookshire is still here, and on his 99th birthday, he is a living testament to the men and women that answered the call during the nation's darkest hour.
Surrounded by his family, friends, and fellow church members at Saron Baptist Church in Ellerbe, the community celebrated a life well lived.
Mr. Brookshire was born in 1924 and at 18, following the American envelopment in World War II, decided to join the military.
According to friend and neighbor Marvin Powell, "he thought about joining the Army, but didn't want to walk in the Infantry, so he decided to go into the airplane business and joined the Air Corps."
Brookshire was promptly assigned to one of the most dangerous jobs in the Army Air Corps — a B-17 Flying Fortress tail gunner.
Bomber tail gunners faced a barrage of dangers on every mission. Enemy aircraft, anti-aircraft fire, and frigid temperatures greeted tail gunners at every pass.
Additionally tail gunners had a bevy of factors to consider, attempting to help bomber crews get on target and drop their payload. Gunners had to do on the spot calculations of their own platform's air speed, enemy attack trajectory and speed, and ballistic capabilities of their .50 caliber machine gun.
To the credit of Brookshire and crew, his B-17 flew 25 missions over the eastern theater in Germany unscathed, an incredible feat considering that the Air and Space Forces Association estimates a less than 50% survival rate for B-17's throughout World War II.
Following service, Brookshire married his wife, Margaret, and worked primarily in the timber industry while also tending to a farm on his own property.
Bill, a lifelong lover of Red Man chewing tobacco looked on as Powell regaled stories of Bill's humor.
"I've been around Bill since 2003," Powell said. "We live beside him. When we moved out here we were just looking around the property like all new owners do, Bill comes up in his tractor — 'I'm Bill Brookshire and I live right there and if you ever need any vegetables, go get you some,' and then he spit, talked a little while, and then he spit, about the third time he come back and said, 'y'all have to excuse me for all this spitting, but my wife makes me chew this stuff.'"
The church fellowship hall erupted in laughter.
"Another thing he liked to say, him and Margaret came to the house one day and we were shooting the bull, sitting in the house, enjoying the company — of course they brought vegetables," Powell continued. "They were getting ready to go and they stood up and Bill said, 'Margaret we got to get home, them youngins have been by themselves all day.'" — Bill and Margaret did not have any kids.
Another round of raucous laughter filled the crowd.
While Bill and Margaret didn't have children, they had scores of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, who they treated like their own.
Powell went on to speak on Brookshire's generosity.
"A lady drove up one time and he was by the garden, and she had an out of state plate and she asked Bill if she could buy some vegetables. With a stern face Bill says, 'no.' She was kind of taken aback, you know. He said, 'but you can have all you can tote home for nothing.' That's Bill, he's been one of the best neighbors I've ever had in my life and so was Margaret, so happy birthday Bill," Powell exclaimed.
Unfortunately, Bill lost his Margaret earlier in the year, but Bill's church community and neighbors have really rallied around him during his loss.
A year shy of 100, Bill Brookshire is an American hero from an era when service over self was not just an idea — it was an ethos to live by.
To support the Richmond County Daily Journal, subscribe at https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/subscribe or 910-817-3111.
