Brown, Ralph O. 1918-1944

BROWN, SAUNDERSON

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/20/2013 at 19:03:41

CAPTAIN BROWN ACCIDENT VICTIM AT LAKELAND, FLA.
Former Hinton Youth Killed While On Service

Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Brown of Hinton received word Thursday that their son, Capt. Ralph O. Brown, had been killed that morning at the air base at Lakeland Park, Florida. No particulars of the accident were contained in the telegram. Capt. Brown was an officer in the engineer group at the air base since returning from active service overseas. He enlisted in the Army in October, 1941, in the aviation corps. He was the holder of a number of decorations for valor and was awarded the distinguished flying cross, the air medal and given a citation by his superior officers.

“Captain Ralph O. Brown received his commission at Victorville, Calif., April, 1942. Picking up his plane at the Sacramento depot he went overseas in the summer of 1942, with the 20th Bombardment group, later named the Jolly Rogers. Piloting a B-24, the only type air craft he flew in combat, Capt. Brown spent several months on patrol duty over the Hawaiian and Fiji Islands and New Caledonia, October, 1942, he flew to Port Moresby, New Guinea, joining the Fifth air force under the command of Lt. Gen. George Kenney, who was at that time, and still is, directing large scale operations against the Japanese. Capt. Brown was stationed there until November, 1943. During which time he flew his Liberator, the “Falcon” on 37 bombing missions over Rabaul and Weewak. Most of these raids consisted of low level attacks by medium bombers which preceded or immediately followed high altitude precision bombings by B-24’s. He participated in the battle of the Bismark sea and the Papuan campaign, and was officially credited with the sinking of a Japanese tanker and a cargo transport.

The fact that his ship has had a total of 16 engines testifies that everything does not run smoothly, especially on combat flights.”

Ralph Oliver Brown was born July 9, 1918, in LeMars, and lived here when a child, his parents moving to Hinton. He was educated at Morningside college and received his B.S. degree there and later attended Iowa State University in 1941. Following his graduation, he volunteered for service. He was married to Betty Saunderson, of Freeport, La., May 30, 1942. Besides his wife, he leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Brown and three sisters, Mrs. R. W. Bennett, Corvallis, Oregon; Mrs. R. W. Plummer of Hinton and Mrs. Ernest Reed, of Sioux City.

Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, May 5, 1944