Current data for Contributor

Erichsen, Wallace J. (Interviewer)

Current data for Creator

Brockway, Lyle

Current data for Date

2019-08

Current data for Description

Lyle Brockway was born near Vicksburg, Michigan in 1924 and graduated from high school in May of 1942. After graduating high school, Brockway attended Michigan State to study agriculture and was enlisted in ROTC. During his first fall semester, he enlisted in the Air Force. Lyle went to basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi that fall after which he went to Birmingham, Alabama for classification for several weeks, and then left to attend Elon College in North Carolina as an extension of his classification training. Following North Carolina, Brockway made a brief stop in Nashville, Tennessee and then continued to Avon Park, Florida for flight training on the PT-17 Stearman. He then went to Macon, Georgia to receive training on the BT-13, and then to Columbus, Mississippi to receive training on the AT-10s and receive his commission. Brockway was then sent to Pyote, Texas to receive extensive training as a co-pilot, from that base Brockway made several flights around the United States and then flew to Kimbolton in Europe as part of the 379th bomb group. From Kimbolton, Brockway flew 35 missions over Germany during which he made a brief landing in Brussels, Germany after a piece of flak pierced the wing of his aircraft. After returning to Kimbolton for most of his missions, Brockway returned to Staten Island in the U.S. by ship. Brockway was sent to Santa Ana, California for reassignment, briefly assigned again to Macon, Georgia, and then assigned to Waco, Texas to be a contact flying instructor. Following Waco, Brockway was sent to Air Transport Command where he was discharged in November of 1945. After service Brockway was employed by Consumers Power as a ground man and spent 40 years there receiving various promotions.

Current data for Source

Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)