Brewster, James Henry
- Who
- WWII driver
- When
- WWII
- Education
- Litchfield H.S.; Storm King School; Cornell '42; University of Illinois, Ph.D. '47
James Henry Brewster was born on August 21, 1922 in Ft. Collins, Colorado, to Oswald Cammann Brewster and Elizabeth Ramsay Booraem. Brewster attended Litchfield Public High School in Litchfield, Connecticut, Storm King School in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, and entered Cornell University where he received his B.A. in chemistry in 1942.
Brewster worked as a junior chemist at the Atlantic Refining Co. before he applied to become an ambulance driver with the American Field Service (AFS) in July 1943. He departed from Norfolk, Virginia, in a large convoy on August 26, 1943, and arrived at Alexandria, Egypt, on September 22. He was posted to the C Platoon of 567 Company (Coy) in Italy in October 1943. Brewster remained in Italy until he was transferred to Germany in April 1945 and then to India in August 1945. He was scheduled for duty with AFS in the SEAC (South East Asia Command), but was instead repatriated to the United States in November 1945 following the termination of the war with Japan. Brewster was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, and the France-Germany Star for his service with AFS.
He continued his studies upon his return, obtaining a Ph.D. in organic Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1947 and spent a postdoctoral year at the University of Chicago. He worked at the Department of Chemistry at Purdue University between 1949 and 1991 and chaired the Faculty Senate in his final year before retirement.
Brewster passed away on October 4, 2020.
WWII File
- Unit(s)
- CM 47
- Son of WWI Volunteer
- Home at time of enlistment
- Litchfield, Conn., USA