Jim Brooks | California Aviation Hall of Fame | Museum of Flying
Jim Brooks | California Aviation Hall of Fame | Museum of Flying

Jim Brooks

Year Inducted: 2016

Maj. James L. Brooks entered the Army Air Corps in 1942 learning to fly a Fairchild PT-19. He graduated as a Second Lieutenant and in April 1944, and began his combat tour in Europe. There he flew the P-51B Mustang escorting heavy bombers, B-24s and B-17s in the Balkans and southern Europe. He flew 55 missions / 263 combat hours, scoring 13 and a half victories.

Major Brooks has received the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster and the Air Medal with 21 clusters.