Brownwood in Brown County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Robert "Cotton” Tuggle Jr

Photographed by James Hulse, May 30, 2024

1. Robert "Cotton” Tuggle Jr Marker

Inscription. Robert "Cotton" Tuggle Jr (4 January 1925 - 15 April 1945) graduated from Brownwood High School in 1942 and enlisted in the Navy in 1943. He was nicknamed "Cotton" because of the color and texture of his hair. Robert's experiences growing up in Brownwood were documented in the book "Confessions of the Willis Creek Gang". He was a Navy Aviation ordnanceman First Class, served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Makassar Strait (CVE-91), and was the rear gunner on a Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo plane / Navy Air Squadron VC-97. On 15 April 1945, their mission was to take aerial photos of the Japanese Navy's Ishigaki Airfield, a base for Japanese Kamikaze. Robert and his crewmates, Lt Vernon Tebo from Chicago IL and Warren Loyd from Long Island NY, were shot down and captured at Ishigaki Island, 265 miles south of Okinawa. They were dragged through the island's main village and tortured, Tuggle and Tebo were brutally bound, gagged, and beheaded by a sword. Loyd was beaten and viciously killed by more than 40 soldiers who used him for bayonet practice. Torture and execution of prisoners was a violation of the Geneva Convention of

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1929. When the Ishigaki Incident became known in February 1947, the largest war criminal trial of Japanese was held, and 46 Japanese sailors and soldiers were sentenced to death as war criminals. However, only seven officers who played major roles in the brutal executions of the three Americans were hanged. The bilingual memorial monument on Ishigaki Island and the Ishigaki Incident Memorial in Fredericksburg Texas are dedicated to these fallen heroes

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1925.

Location. 31° 40.661′ N, 98° 59.511′ W. Memorial is in Brownwood, Texas, in Brown County. It is on Crockett Drive south of Memorial Park Drive, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located at the northwest section of the Camp Bowie Memorial Park. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 2710 Crockett Dr, Brownwood TX 76801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Big Country.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

The view of the Robert "Cotton” Tuggle Jr Marker along the pathway image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, May 30, 2024

2. The view of the Robert "Cotton” Tuggle Jr Marker along the pathway

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Comanchería,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Corporal Kennith W Wheeler, USMC (here, next to this marker); Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3278 (here, next to this marker); Isham A Smith-Scott Brothers American Legion Post 196 (a few steps from this marker); World War I Memorial (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named World War I Memorial (a few steps from this marker); The Lost Battalion (Java) (a few steps from this marker); World War I (a few steps from this marker); Charles E. (Commando) Kelly (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brownwood.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 7, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 6, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 211 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 6, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.