LEWIS F. BROADBROOKS, b. 1917 Mich d. July 22, 1944 Myitkyina, Burma Finding of
Death declared dead while missing
1st Lt, O-1299677 5307th Composite
Unit (provisional) “Merrill’s Marauders”
Buried Manila American Cemetery, Taguig city, Philippines
Walls of the Missing
Parents: Walter R. & Edith Father born New York and
mother Canada. Father was a Superintendant of building construction.
Siblings: Alta E.
(RHS grad 1934), Walter H., Jane M.
The Broadbrooks lived many years at 17774 Northrop, a small
house built in 1917 (the boom times in Old Redford). House has 1,000 sq ft with
an extra large lot, 3 bedrooms and 2 baths (surely that second bath was put in
years later). Small as the house was in
1940 they, with 4 adult children, also had the father’s two brothers
living there! This was common for other families on the block. Reflect on that
as you sit in your modern home with an average 2,200 sq ft.
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| RHS 1932 |
Lewis graduated from RHS January 1935. Before he enlisted he
was an apprentice lineman with the electric power company.
He enlisted in the army May 27, 1941 in Detroit and later
joined the famed Merrill’s Marauders in Burma. This was a US Army long range
penetration special ops unit in Southeast Asia. It was famous for missions
behind enemy lines, and also for a high numbers of casualties due to disease.
The unit had veterinarians with it to care for horses and mules used as pack
animals (also occasionally carrying wounded) who suffered as much as the
soldiers. Check the site Marauders.org for astonishing
photos of the unit in Burma.
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