Elton Joe Brownshadel was born on September 25, 1918 in Hungerford, Wharton County Texas. His parents were Louis and Rosie Horecka Brownshadel they were both born in Texas and Louis worked as a Blacksmith. Elton had one older sister Laddye and two younger brothers Gilbert who served in the Army in WWII and Rueben. Elton married Dorothy Brown on July 26, 1943 in Thomasville, Georgia. They had a daughter on April 12, 1944. Dorothy remarried and died in 2017.

He had enlisted on April 6, 1942 in the United States Army Air Forces and served during World War II. Brownshadel had the rank of Second Lieutenant. Service number assignment was O-676615. Attached to 339th Fighter Group, 504th Fighter Squadron as a Pilot of P-51's.

Lt. Brownshadel lost his life on D Day June 6, 1944 when his P-51 #42-106928 had engine failure after take off and crashed on the first mission of the day.

Elton J Brownshadel is buried at Plot F Row 7 Grave 123, Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.

COMMENDATIONS

★ Air Medal

★ Purple Heart

*This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see *www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you may contact the author. Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by.”.

Thank you for your supreme sacrifice in service to your country

Sources:

https://www.ancestry.com/ - 1920, 1930, 1940 census, draft card

https://www.findagrave.com/* *

https://www.honorstates.org/index.php

www.americanairmuseum.com