This Military Service Page was created/owned by
CWO2 Philip E. Montroy
to remember
Marine BGen David Brewster.
If you knew or served with this Marine and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Last Address Washington, D.C.
Date of Passing Jul 10, 1945
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Due to his failing health, BGen Brewster was granted a medical retirement in June 1945. The General died amonth later. He was buried with full-honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Other Comments:
BGen Brewster is officially listed as the 6th USMC Pilot/Aviator and the 55th Naval Aviator.
Brigadier General (BGEN) David Lukens Shoemaker Brewster, United States Marine Corps, Service Number: (Unknown)
Early Life
David Lukens Shoemaker Brewster was born on 31 December 1887 in the District of Columbia. His father, Robert John Walker Deslonde-Brewster, born 28 May 1864 in the City of Paris, Île-de-France, France, died 28 November 1919 in (unknown), was an Agent for the U.S. Department of Justice. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1880. His mother, Leila Shoemaker Brewster was born on 14 July 1864 in Washington, District of Columbia and died on 20 September 1948 in Washington, District of Columbia. David’s parents were married on 19 October 1885 in the District of Columbia. David was the younger of two children in the family; he had an older sister.
In 1918 in Maryland, he married Mercer Brockenborough Taliaferro, born 31 July 1896 in Baltimore, Maryland, died 23 August 1959 in Washington, District of Columbia. They had a son who was a Major in the Marine Corps during World War II and a daughter who died at age 30.
Military
David Lukens Shoemaker Brewster joined the United States Marine Corps in 1910 and by 1917, had qualified as an airplane pilot, a dirigible pilot and a balloon pilot. During World War I, he flew anti-submarine missions in the Azores Islands and later served in Nicaragua. He served as the first Commanding Officer of the Marine Barracks at New River, now known as Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From 1943-1944, he served with the 1st Marine Amphibious Corps in the Pacific Theater. He then was assigned as the Chief of Staff of the administrative staff of the Fleet Marine Force.
Death and Burial
David Lukens Shoemaker Brewster died on 10 July 1945 at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Washington, District of Columbia (although his wife’s obituary states he died in 1944). During his career, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for his actions in the Marianas Islands. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, Section: 6, Site: 5689 on 12 July 1945.
This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see https://www.storiesbehindthestars.org/). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen person's name and read his/her story.
If you have any details, photos, or corrections for this story, please email me by clicking on my name. CDR Robert "Red" Mulvanny-Contributing Author, Stories Behind the Stars
China Service 1937-1939
From Month/Year
July / 1937
To Month/Year
September / 1939
Description Served ashore in China or who were attached to any of the vessels that operated in support of the operations in China between 7 July 1937, and 7 September 1939.
