A NATIVE OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA JAMES BROOKS ENTERED THE AIR FORCE IN 1942. UPON GRADUATION AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT HE WAS SENT TO PANAMA WHERE HE FLEW P-39 AND P-40 TYPE AIRCRAFT. EARLY 1944, HE JOINED THE 31ST FIGHTER GROUP IN ITALY. EXCHANGING THEIR SPITFIRES FOR P-51B’S, THE 31ST WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 15TH STRATEGIC AIR FORCE FOR A LONG RANGE ESCORT OF HEAVY BOMBERS DEEP INTO EUROPE AND THE BALKANS.