Andalusia native and award-winning editorial cartoonist Charles G. Brooks died last Thursday.

Brooks, who graduated from Anda-lusia High School in 1939, was honored in 2010 as an AHS Outstanding Graduate.

Brooks served with the U.S. Army in World War II, and was with the 531st Engineer Shore Regiment at Utah Beach, Normandy on D. Day and was involved in the Battle of the Bulge. He earned 13 Freedom Foundation awards and two Vigilant Patriot awards.

He studied at Birmingham Southern and at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and worked as an editorial cartoonist for The Birmingham News from 1948 until his retirement. He has served as president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. His cartoons appear in more than 80 books and are in the permanent collections of the Ronald Reagan Library, Simi Valley, Calif., and Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Mo., among others.

In a 1986 interview with The Birmingham News summed up his philosophy:

“Basically, I believe in God, I believe that the United States of America is the greatest country on Earth and I believe in a strong defense,” Brooks said. “I believe in a strong defense for this reason: Without a strong defense, all of the jobs and the money, and the high living isn’t worth a darn if you’re not protected.”

Services were held in Birmingham on Monday.