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. ROBERT J. GOEBEL, A HANDSOME AND DASHING YOUNG ACE SERVED WITH THE 31ST FIGHTER GROUP IN ITALY. ON 18 AUGUST 1944, 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PLOESTI, WHEN HE NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH, HE WAS JUMPED BY TWO ME-109’S. THE ENSUING FIGHT WHICH LASTED A FEW MINUTES WHERE GOEBEL OUTDUELLED THE ME-109’S, HE GOT ONE AND THE OTHER RAN OFF. DURING HIS SERVICE WITH THE 15TH AIR FORCE, HE IS CREDITED WITH 11 VICTORIES. |
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