Brannan, George Edward

Was awarded the Légion d'Honneur (Chevalier degree) posthumously on November 11, 2011.

GEORGE BRANNAN was killed on the Assam-Burma Front during the latter part of April. With two companions, Frank Dignam and Mitchell Smith, he was flying in an unarmed and unescorted plane which was attacked by Jap Zeros whose fire seriously wounded Brennan in the throat. The men were being ferried to their destination by plane, which is the only means of, transportation between the rear and isolated forward positions where the AFS is at work. Brannen was landed at the nearest British Hospital where a delicate throat operation was performed. For a while he gained ground and it was hoped he would recover, but a fortnight later, he died of a cerebral embolism. His memory and devotion to duty will always be honored by those who knew him as an example of what la finest in courage and self-sacrifice.

__ AFS Letters No. 25

On 23 March Captain Patrick reported from Imphal: "Brannan came in from Fenn's section and reports Japs both sides of the road. Very little traffic. Of 5 vehicles in one section, 4 were AFS ambulances. The official report (which I go to Corps to get daily) is that Tamu is not being held. Tank battle south of Tamu day before yesterday in which 8 Jap tanks knocked out to 1 of ours. Trouble is expected in that direction. The main force of the Jap drive is concentrated in the Ukhrul district. There has been no Japanese air activity at this HQ for the past 4 or 5 nights. This may be because of the weather---thunder and rain. .."

A great deal of mortar fell in the camp, most of it striking the trees and detonating, spraying the ground with shrapnel. Most of the MAS tentage was pierced in numerous places. Macgill's mosquito net was torn to shreds with Macgill under it, counting his moments. The greatest loss to the AFS occurred when a large hunk of hot shrapnel entered Brannan's ambulance through the wooden frame and pierced his duffle bag, wherein nestled an unopened bottle of gin, George's ration for the week. . . .

During this lull in activity toward the end of April, the Detachment suffered a tragic casualty. Early in the month, patients had been evacuated from the airstrip at Sapam, a few miles west of Palel on the Tamu road, and a number of ambulance drivers struck up friendships with U.S. Air Force personnel at the field. On the 25th, G. E. Brannan, F. A. Dignam, and F. M. Smith went on a sightseeing ride from Sapam to Comilla in a plane sent for supplies and intended to return the same day. "They were attacked en route by three Zeros," Captain Pemberton reported.

"They dove from 7,000 feet to tree level and for 15 minutes hedgehopped along toward Lalaghat, while the Zeros kept popping off at them from 1,000 feet. Finally one Zero came in for an angle shot at the nose. The copilot saw him at about 600 feet and told the pilot to swing into it. This he did, cutting about 8 feet off the wing on a tree and causing the Zero, who apparently thought the DC-3 had a gun in the nose, to do a 180-degree turn and hightail it with the other two back to Tokyo.

"The first burst of cannon fire, which came without warning while they were at 7,000, caused several explosions within the plane, which wounded most of the occupants other than the crew. Smith has a few minor cuts on the face, Dignam was cut in a couple of places on the legs, and Brannan had a piece enter his throat at about the Adam's apple and another enter his chest through the right lung. He bled profusely. Smith told of attempting to apply pressure on the pressure points to reduce the bleeding---but of being frustrated by the motion of the plane throwing all passengers from the floor to the ceiling and back again."

George Edward Brannan died of his wounds on 5 May 1944.

__ George Rock. Chapter 15. " India-Burma 1. The First Year (May 1943 to April 1944)" History of the American Field Service, 1920-1955. New York 1956.