Bram van der Stok

By 22acholin

  • Birth

    Birth
    On October 13, 1915, Bram van der Stok was born in Plaju, Palembang, Indonesia.

  • Hitler Becomes Chancellor

    Hitler Becomes Chancellor
    On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany. The Jewish people had absolutely no idea what was coming to them at this point.

  • Air Force

    Air Force
    In 1936, after some of his medical training, Bram van der Stok joined the Dutch Air Force and served for about a year.

  • Fighter Squadron

    Fighter Squadron
    Bram van der stok joined a fighter squadron after he was commissioned in 1937. After about a year, he was transferred to the reserve, when he continued his medical education.

  • Hitler Supports Japan

    Hitler Supports Japan
    The dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler, announces his support for Japan.

  • Taking Control of Czechoslovakia

    Taking Control of Czechoslovakia
    After promising peace, Hitler annexes Czechoslovakia. He takes all control.

  • Bombs Away

    Bombs Away
    In early 1940, Bram van der stok was mobilized and sent to be a fighter pilot. He asked to go back to medical school when the Dutch Capitulation started in May of 1940. He was allowed to leave.

  • Forming a Resistance

    Forming a Resistance
    Soon after the Dutch Capitulation, Bram van der Stok formed a resistance cell, and tried three times to reach Britain, but each time failed.

  • Italy Invades France

    Italy Invades France
    Benito Mussolini's army attacks France from the south

  • Decoration

    Decoration
    On his fourth attempt to reach Britain, Bram van der Stok reached not Britain, but Scotland by boat, where Queen Wilhelmina decorated him with the Dutch Bronze Cross.

  • Lieutenant

    Lieutenant
    After he earned the Dutch Bronze Cross, Bram van der Stok was promoted flight lieutenant and was credited with 6 kills before he baled out above France.

  • Job Opportunity

    Job Opportunity
    While piloting, Bram van der Stok got a job at a hospital due to his medical knowledge.

  • Pearl Harbor

    Pearl Harbor
    Japan attacks Hawaii on December 7, 1941

  • Escaping (Almost)

    Escaping (Almost)
    In 1942, Bram van der Stok tried his first escape. He would've made it, but as he was digging through a barbed wire fence, a PoW was climbing a near by hut roof to get back the German cap he had taken, and caught Stok and reported him.

  • Try Try Again

    Try Try Again
    Shortly after Bram van der Stok had been caught trying to escape, he tried to get away again. This time a German Soldier asked for some identification, and took a forged pass that was not updated.

  • Planning Escape

    Planning Escape
    For about a year before what is called "The Great Escape," Bram van der Stok helped make 3 tunnels to escape Germany. The tunnels were called Tom, Dick, and Harry. Of these three, only one tunnel was used--Harry. Tom was discovered, and Dick was just abandoned.

  • The Great Escape

    The Great Escape
    On March 24, 1944, Bram van der Stok was involved in a famous escape known as The Great Escape. This was when 220 Jews tried to leave Germany, but only 75 made it through the tunnel made.

  • Fight

    Fight
    After the Great Escape, Bram van der Stok took part in D-Day (aka the attack on Normandy Beach) and fought for No. 322, a Dutch Air Force squadron.

  • Battle of the Bulge

    Battle of the Bulge
    Germany launches it's final defensive through Belgium.

  • Death

    Death
    Bram van der Stok died on February 8, 1993 in Hawaii.