July 25, 2016 - If you have ever studied the events of World War II then you probably know the story of the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa who all died together on November 13th, 1942 when their ship, the USS Juneau was sunk by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine. Although the Navy had a policy of separating siblings, it was not strictly enforced. The Sullivan’s joined in January 1942 with the stipulation that they serve together. As a direct result of their deaths, the US War Department in 1948 adopted the Sole Survivor Policy that was designed to protect members of a family from the draft or from combat duty if they had already lost family members in military service.
During World War II it was not uncommon for families to have multiple siblings serving. Families were larger in those days with children spaced only a year or so apart and when December 7th, 1941 arrived many brothers and sisters were of military age. Also with patriotism at an all-time high, many lied about their age and joined at 17 and younger while others served while in their 40’s.
Scanning though the book “Men and Women in the Armed Forces from Shelby County” I found 17 families that had two or more sons serving in World War II. The Morris and Brooks families each had five sons serving.
Today we remember the Brooks brothers of Timpson, Texas. All were sons of Addie Bee Brooks (12/3/1877–10/22/1938) and Martha Evelyn Bridwell Brooks (12/24/1888–10/25/1967). Father Addie was a farmer as many were then and mother Evie as she was called was a housewife and gave birth to nine sons and two daughters. Two sons, Oren and Buford both died within the first year of life. Brothers Luther (1906-1972) and Barron (1922-2003) did not serve in the military along with their sisters Lola Mae (1913-2000) and Melba Louise (1922-2003).
The first to join the military was Hubert Nealy Brooks who volunteered for the Army on March 11th, 1939. The 1910 census, the year he was born showed the family living in Justice Precinct 7, Panola County, Texas. Twenty years later the address was Huber Road, Shelby County, Texas and the 1940 census listed him as a 30-year-old soldier of “K” Company, 9th Infantry Regiment with an 8th grade education stationed in San Antonio. The “Fighting 9th” as his unit was known took part in the D-Day Landing in Normandy and waged an 18-hour engagement during the Battle of the Bulge. They then crossed the Rhine River in March 1945 through Saxony into Czechoslovakia, ending World War II with many decorations including three Presidential Unit Citations. From there details about Hubert are sketchy and he died in Bishop Stortford, Herfordshire, England in December 1976 at the age of 66.
Artis Brooks joined the US Army about a year after brother Hubert on March 4th, 1940. He initially served in the Army Air Forces during WW II and somewhere along the way switched back to the regular Army. Not much is known about his service other than he also served in the Korean War and retired as a Sergeant First Class (E-7). He married Elizabeth Ann Covey and they had 6 children. At age 56, Ardis passed away on April 5, 1972 at Wilford Hall USAF Hospital, Lackland AFB, Texas. He is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio along with daughter Deborah Ann Brooks (1956-1957).
Blanton Nolan Brooks, age 21 also joined in the census year 1940 which showed him with the Army Air Forces 12th Air Base Squadron in San Antonio. From here his military service is not clear except in October 1945 he was at Hondo Army Air Field, Hondo, Texas. He served twenty years in the Air Force and retired as a Master Sergeant (E-7) in 1960. His wife was Bennie Irene (1926-2010) and it is not known if they had children. Like brother Artis he also died at Wilford Hall USAF Hospital six years and two days later on April 7, 1978. He was 59 years old. Both he and his wife Bennie are buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
1940 saw the fourth Brooks brother joining the military when Elmer signed up with the Army National Guard. He was assigned to the Army Air Corps and that is all that is known about his military service. At the age of 73 he passed away on November 15, 1993 and he and wife Hazel (1921-2003) are both buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery, Washington, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
Although the oldest, Travis was the last to join the Army on May 30th, 1942 at the age of 41. Other than an enlistment record nothing else could be found about his military service. Travis was married to Thelma Heaton Lathan Brooks (1905-1994) and he passed away at the age of 80 on January 15th, 1981.
I can only imagine the anguish and worry mother Evie went through during this time. She probably had times of joy also when letters from her boys arrived assuring her they were doing well. A band of brothers and a family of patriots for sure with a happy ending as the Brooks brothers all came marching home. God bless them and all of the 16 million men and women who served during World War II.
