Captain Brockmire was the pilot of a F-80C Shooting Star fighter interceptor with the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group. On 2 July 1951, while on a combat mission, the aircraft's tip tanks released and struck the stabilizer, causing the aircraft to crash and burn.

Brockmire was awarded the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.