Seaman First Class William Brooks

Seaman First Class William Brooks, US Navy, was born on July 19, 1922 in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee to the late William and Lillian (nee Moore) Brooks. His brother, Estle “Bud” Powers passed away on February 3, 2008. SEA1 Brooks is survived by his nephew, Kenneth Powers and his niece, Linda Dowling and her husband, Drew; his great nephews, Mike and Randy Powers; his great nieces, Julie Szego and Karen Robinson; and his great great nieces and nephews, Mike Powers Jr., Sherrie Powers, Ryan Szego and Zach Robinson.

At the age of 18, Seaman First Class Brooks entered the U.S. Navy from Tennessee, went to Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois and then served on the USS Oklahoma. On December 7, 1941, the battleship USS Oklahoma was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when attacked by Japanese forces. The Oklahoma suffered multiple torpedo hits, causing it to capsize. Four hundred and twenty-nine sailors and Marines were lost, including SEA1 Brooks.

In the days, months, and years following the attack, remains of men lost aboard the Oklahoma were recovered. Those remains that could not be identified were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Honolulu, Hawaii (NMCP). In 2015, the DPAA received authorization to exhume unknown remains associated with the Oklahoma and reexamine them using advances in forensic technology. From June through November 2015, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) personnel, in cooperation with cemetery officials, exhumed all remaining caskets associated with the USS Oklahoma at the NMCP and transferred the remains to DPAA laboratories. Laboratory analysis and the totality of the circumstantial evidence available established one set of these remains as those of SEA1 William Brooks.

Almost 100 years from the date of his birth, Seaman First Class Brooks will be laid to rest next to his brother at Glen Haven Memorial Park. A Memorial Graveside Service will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 11 AM at Glen Haven Memorial Park Cemetery, Glen Burnie, MD.