Brooks Uen Atchison was born on March 15, 1919, in Edmonds, Snohomish County, Washington. He was the son of William Albert Atchison and Lydia B. Baldwin Atchison. He was married to Margaret Lucille Eichhorn. He enlisted in the service on August 14, 1941. He served in the 603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy as a Staff Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner of B-17G #43-38147 nicknamed ''Fuddy Duddy'' during World War II.
On November 21, 1944, the aircraft was shot down during a mission over Merseburg, Germany. Operating from Nuthampstead, England, the aircraft was heavily damaged by German fighters. Pilot 1st Lt. Charles E. Howell and co-pilot 2nd Lt. William M. Bryan kept the aircraft stable long enough for three crew members to bail out. The plane crashed near Trügleben, Germany. Seven crew members were killed, and the three survivors were taken as prisoners of war.
SSgt Atchison was among those who lost their lives in the crash and is now buried in the Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park, Seattle, King County, Washington, USA. Please note that on his headstone, his middle name appears before his first name. Brooks U. Atchison's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 3 (right), on Butterfly 28, in the bottom right wing (section D).
Source of information: B-17flyingfortress.de, www.398th.org