World War II Honoree

Brooks 'Avery' Connell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Marion, Alabama

Honored By

Joe Fields

ATTENDED MARION MILITARY INSTITUTE IN MARION, ALABAMA, BEFORE VOLUNTEERING FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY. UPON ENTERING THE ARMY IN JULY OF 1942 HE TRAINED AS A GLIDER PILOT, BUT DUE TO HIS EYESIGHT HE LATER BECAME AN AIRPLANE ARMORER. DURING HIS SERVICE HE WAS STATIONED AT ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO, WICKENBURG, ARIZONA, LUBBOCK, WICHITA FALLS AND AMARILLO, TEXAS, DENVER, COLORADO AND HARVARD AIR BASE IN NEBRASKA, AND SPENT ALMOST A YEAR ON GUAM. DISCHARGED FROM THE MILITARY AT FORT SAM HOUSTON, TEXAS, IN NOVEMBER OF 1945 WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT.