Lt. Benjamin A. Brew (1918 – 1944)

 

Information for this biography was provided by Benjamin Brew’s nephew, David von Rinteln:

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2nd Lt. Benjamin Brew (Oct 24, 1921 – July 23, 1944) was raised in a military family with his mom and step-dad, Col. Joseph A. St. Louis. Benjamin enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943, and, after cadet training in California, he was assigned to Class 44-A-3 at Luke Air Field AZ. William Buttner and Alfred Riha were also in his group at Luke.

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Ben received advanced P-47 fighter training at Harding Field Louisiana after graduating from Luke Field.  By July 1944, Ben was assigned to the 495th Fighter Training Group / 552nd Fighter Training Squadron  in Atcham, Shropshire England. “The 495th Fighter Training Group, which operated in England from December 1943, trained P-47 Thunderbolt pilots. These pilots, who had received the basic training in the USA would be assigned to a training group to practice operational procedures and gunnery from the UK before being assigned to the Eighth or Ninth Air Forces.”