PFC Army WW2 Company A, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Born 5/24/1918, Sevier County (Arthur J Brooks) Deceased 4/7/1945 (26), KIA. Buried Margraten-Aachen, Holland. Later moved to Knoxville National Cemetery Presidential Unit Citation
On 4/6/1945, Company A crossed the Rhine at 2:30 am and immediately made contact with the enemy. Under heavy fire and in a minefield the 504th troopers were split into 2 groups, each of which fought to their predesignated objective where they rejoined forces, knocking out several machine gun nests and established a roadblock. Again using similar tactic, succeeding waves of American troops infiltrated the enemy and set up a defense in the village of Hitforf, where PFC Brooks was Killed in action. Co A was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for its action during this engagement.