Jim Brewer was a friend of Tom’s from Greenville, Illinois, where they grew up.
Tom and Jim were stationed briefly at the same Army Air Force Base in Santa Ana, California, although they were not grouped in the same training squadron. Tom visited with him there in September, 1943.
Jim Brewer survived WWII and lived to 80. His life was summarized by his obituary in the Sacremento Bee (California newspaper):
BREWER, James Wesley, Ph.D.
Passed away on July 5, 2004, at eighty years old. He was born James Lee Mills in Blackwell, Oklahoma. Adopted by Harry and Beatrice Brewer at the age of three, he was raised in Greenville, Illinois. Dr. Brewer enlisted in what was then the Army-Air Corps, completed cadet training and became a commissioned officer who proudly served America during both World War II and the Korean War. Dr. Brewer married his hometown sweetheart, Edith, and had three daughters, Vickie, Carla and Paula. A stint in Navigator training at Mather Air Force base led Mr. and Mrs. Brewer to Sacramento, where they bought a home. After ten years of service he was honorably discharged from the Air Force with the rank of Major. In 1955 he and his wife relocated to Elk Grove where they raised their growing family. Dr. and Mrs. Brewer opened their home to many including a foster child, Patricia Brewer, who predeceased him, and numerous foreign exchange students, who were all treated as their own children. Dr. Brewer took great pleasure in being able to declare that he had 18 children! Dr. Brewer served as president of the Comstock & Lions Club, was on the Los Rios Community College board, and even served as a member of the grand jury for a year. Dr. James Brewer is survived by his wife Edith; daughters Carla Hegarty, Paula Richardson and Vickie Brewer; by his grandchildren, Rich Buell, Erica and Gregory Siefkin, Colleen and Tyler Duke, Amy Richardson, Jason Asbury and Jamie Owen; and by his great-grandson, Antonio Asbury-Cruz.
Published in The Sacramento Bee from July 7 to July 8, 2004