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After completing 90-day combat and fighter training at [[Walterboro Army Air Field]] in [[Walterboro, South Carolina]], Brown was assigned to the all-African American 99th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the "[[Tuskegee Airmen]]" or "Red Tails.<ref name=CAF/> He would fly [[P-51]] Mustang fighters in Italy and Western Europe.<ref name=task/> Brown flew combat missions in the P-47N Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning and the P-51 Mustang, C and D.<ref name=hall/>
After completing 90-day combat and fighter training at [[Walterboro Army Air Field]] in [[Walterboro, South Carolina]], Brown was assigned to the all-African American 99th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the "[[Tuskegee Airmen]]" or "Red Tails.<ref name=CAF/> He would fly [[P-51]] Mustang fighters in Italy and Western Europe.<ref name=task/> Brown flew combat missions in the P-47N Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning and the P-51 Mustang, C and D.<ref name=hall/>


On December 9, 1944 during Brown's 12th mission, Brown’s aircraft was struck by heavy anti-aircraft artillery after Brown and his wingman chased an enemy German ME 262 twin-engine jet over enemy positions. Severely losing fuel, Brown navigated his damaged aircraft into friendly territory, crash landing onto an abandoned air strip. He returned to his base six days later.<ref name=CAF/>
⚫
During his 30th mission, a 20 year-old Brown was shot down over a snow-covered, German-controlled territory. After bailing out of his badly damaged P-51 Mustang, Brown was captured in the same city where he just destroyed a train with his aircraft guns. As his captives marched Brown to a crowd of angry villagers who were already making a noose to kill him, Brown assumed the worst.<ref name=serve>Serving Our Seniors EC. "POW Capture, Volume 1." Jan 8, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRLS1bK-a50.</ref> “I was looking death right in the face,” he said. “They had even selected what looked like the perfect hanging tree—I just accepted the fact, ‘Harold you are going to die’, and that is not an easy thing.” Fortunately, a German constable screamed to the mob, wielding a gun and demanding that Brown be treated as a [[prisoner of war]], sparring Brown from being summarily executed.<ref name=332nd/><ref name=task/> The constable barricaded himself and Brown in a building until the mob eventually dispersed. Brown was eventually transferred to German military authorities.


⚫
On March 14, 1945 during Brown's 30th mission, a 20 year-old Brown was shot down over snow-covered, German military-controlled territory. After bailing out of his badly damaged [P-51]] Mustang, Brown was captured in the same city where he just destroyed a train with his aircraft guns. As his captives marched Brown to a crowd of angry villagers who were already making a noose to kill him, Brown assumed the worst.<ref name=serve>Serving Our Seniors EC. "POW Capture, Volume 1." Jan 8, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRLS1bK-a50.</ref> “I was looking death right in the face,” he said. “They had even selected what looked like the perfect hanging tree—I just accepted the fact, ‘Harold you are going to die’, and that is not an easy thing.” Fortunately, a German constable screamed to the mob, wielding a gun and demanding that Brown be treated as a [[prisoner of war]], sparring Brown from being summarily executed.<ref name=332nd/><ref name=task/> The constable barricaded himself and Brown in a building until the mob eventually dispersed. Brown was eventually transferred to German military authorities.
⚫
Years later, Brown would learn of the tragic fate of fellow [[Tuskegee Airmen]] fighter pilot [[Walter Manning]] who was captured, beaten, and lynched by a local mob after the Germans shot down his aircraft near a Nazi [[Luftwaffe|Luftwaffe Air Force]] base in [[Linz, Austria]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hoffmann|first=Georg|url=https://www.schoeningh.de/view/title/52159|title=Fliegerlynchjustiz: Gewalt gegen abgeschossene alliierte Flugzeugbesatzungen 1943–1945|date=2015-01-01|publisher=Ferdinand Schöningh|isbn=978-3-657-78137-9|page=296|language=de}}</ref>

⚫
Later, Brown would learn of the tragic fate of fellow [[Tuskegee Airmen]] fighter pilot [[Walter Manning]] who was captured, beaten, and lynched by a local mob after the Germans shot down his aircraft near a Nazi [[Luftwaffe|Luftwaffe Air Force]] base in [[Linz, Austria]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hoffmann|first=Georg|url=https://www.schoeningh.de/view/title/52159|title=Fliegerlynchjustiz: Gewalt gegen abgeschossene alliierte Flugzeugbesatzungen 1943–1945|date=2015-01-01|publisher=Ferdinand Schöningh|isbn=978-3-657-78137-9|page=296|language=de}}</ref>


The Germans interrogated Brown at prisoner of war (POW) camp, Nuremberg-Langwasser, south of [[Nuremberg, Germany]]. A week after arriving there, Brown encountered fellow Tuskegee Airman [[Lincoln Hudson]]<ref>CHICAGO TRIBUNE. "Lincoln T. Hudson, 72, Johnson Publishing exec. Jerry Thornton. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-09-29-8802030018-story.html</ref> (12 Mar 1916 - 26 Sep 1988) who had been severely beaten by the Germans during his interrogation, almost beyond recognition.<ref name=serve/> Hudson would survive the war, eventually serving as the Senior Vice President of Advertising at [[Johnson Publishing]], the publishers of the historic [[Ebony Magazine]] and [[Jet Magazine]].
The Germans interrogated Brown at prisoner of war (POW) camp, Nuremberg-Langwasser, south of [[Nuremberg, Germany]]. A week after arriving there, Brown encountered fellow Tuskegee Airman [[Lincoln Hudson]]<ref>CHICAGO TRIBUNE. "Lincoln T. Hudson, 72, Johnson Publishing exec. Jerry Thornton. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-09-29-8802030018-story.html</ref> (12 Mar 1916 - 26 Sep 1988) who had been severely beaten by the Germans during his interrogation, almost beyond recognition.<ref name=serve/> Hudson would survive the war, eventually serving as the Senior Vice President of Advertising at [[Johnson Publishing]], the publishers of the historic [[Ebony Magazine]] and [[Jet Magazine]].
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On April 29, 1945, General [[George Patton]] and his [[Third Army (United States)|Third Army]] liberated Brown as Patton's tanks drove into Stalag VII-A, capturing it.<ref name=332nd/><ref name=keep/><ref name=gma/>
On April 29, 1945, General [[George Patton]] and his [[Third Army (United States)|Third Army]] liberated Brown as Patton's tanks drove into Stalag VII-A, capturing it.<ref name=332nd/><ref name=keep/><ref name=gma/>


Throughout his entire ordeal as a POW in Nazi Germany, Brown Brown was not tortured or beaten.<ref name=CAF/>
Throughout his entire ordeal as a POW in Nazi Germany, Brown was not tortured or beaten.<ref name=CAF/>


==Korean War and after==
==Korean War and after==

Revision as of 12:57, 5 July 2021

Harold H. Brown
Born (1924-08-19) August 19, 1924 (age 99)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Alma materOhio State University, Bachelor's, Masters and PhD
Occupations
  • Military officer
  • fighter pilot
  • College Administrator
Years active1944–1965

Harold H. Brown (born August 19, 1924) is a retired U.S. Army Air Force officer, World War II prisoner of war (POW), retired community college administrator, and former African-American fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group, known affectionately as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails."[1][2] He is one of the 1007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.[3]

During his 30th mission in World War II's European Theater, Brown was shot down over enemy territory controlled by the German military. After bailing out of his badly damaged P-51, the Germans captured Brown, imprisoning him for two months at a prisoner of war camp south of Nuremberg, and later at Stalag Luft VII-A prisoner of war camp near Moosburg, Germany (Moosburg an der Isar, 30 kilometers north of Munich, Germany. Brown was liberated when General George Patton rolled into the camp in a tank on April 29, 1945.[4][2][5]

He is the co-author of “Keep Your Airspeed Up: The Story of a Tuskegee Airman,” cowritten by Brown's wife, Marsha S. Bordner.[6]

Brown — along with every member of the Tuskegee Airmen — received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.[7]

Early life

Brown was born August 19, 1924 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1][2][8] His parents were originally from Talladega, Alabama, but moved to Minnesota to escape Jim Crow segregation, vitriolic racial violence and white supremacy that ravaged the Southern United States during the early 20th century.[9]

Inspired by his 6th grade dreams of becoming a pilot, the then-16 year old high school junior Brown spent $35 in savings to take flight lessons at Wold-Chamberlain Field in 1941.[1][10] Though his mother was angry for his expenditure, Brown's father defended Brown's decision as a prudent decision made of Brown's own volition. Though the neighborhood kids would tease and call him "Lindbergh,” Brown would come to appreciate the role his early flight lessons played in earning him an opportunity to become a World War II combat pilot.[2][11]

World War II

After graduating from North High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Brown applied for admittance into U.S. military flight school. Though he passed the U.S. Army Air Corps' mental exam prerequisite, Brown failed the physical weight-height proportion prerequisite: The requirement mandated a weight no less than 128.5 pounds; Brown weighed 128.25 pounds. The attending physician advised Brown to drink an egg-filled ice cream malt the morning and evening before Brown's retest. After weighting 128.75 pounds during retest, Brown passed his physical requirement, reporting four months later to the Tuskegee Air Force Base for pilot cadet training in December of 1942.[1][2]

On May 23, 1944, the 19 year old Brown graduated from Tuskegee pilot cadet training program's Class 44-E-SE, receiving his wings and commission as a 2nd Lieutenant.[1][2] he trained in the PT-17, BT-13 and AT-6 aircraft.[10] After completing 90-day combat and fighter training at Walterboro Army Air Field in Walterboro, South Carolina, Brown was assigned to the all-African American 99th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the "Tuskegee Airmen" or "Red Tails.[1] He would fly P-51 Mustang fighters in Italy and Western Europe.[6] Brown flew combat missions in the P-47N Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning and the P-51 Mustang, C and D.[10]

On December 9, 1944 during Brown's 12th mission, Brown’s aircraft was struck by heavy anti-aircraft artillery after Brown and his wingman chased an enemy German ME 262 twin-engine jet over enemy positions. Severely losing fuel, Brown navigated his damaged aircraft into friendly territory, crash landing onto an abandoned air strip. He returned to his base six days later.[1]

On March 14, 1945 during Brown's 30th mission, a 20 year-old Brown was shot down over snow-covered, German military-controlled territory. After bailing out of his badly damaged [P-51]] Mustang, Brown was captured in the same city where he just destroyed a train with his aircraft guns. As his captives marched Brown to a crowd of angry villagers who were already making a noose to kill him, Brown assumed the worst.[12] “I was looking death right in the face,” he said. “They had even selected what looked like the perfect hanging tree—I just accepted the fact, ‘Harold you are going to die’, and that is not an easy thing.” Fortunately, a German constable screamed to the mob, wielding a gun and demanding that Brown be treated as a prisoner of war, sparring Brown from being summarily executed.[4][6] The constable barricaded himself and Brown in a building until the mob eventually dispersed. Brown was eventually transferred to German military authorities.

Later, Brown would learn of the tragic fate of fellow Tuskegee Airmen fighter pilot Walter Manning who was captured, beaten, and lynched by a local mob after the Germans shot down his aircraft near a Nazi Luftwaffe Air Force base in Linz, Austria[13]

The Germans interrogated Brown at prisoner of war (POW) camp, Nuremberg-Langwasser, south of Nuremberg, Germany. A week after arriving there, Brown encountered fellow Tuskegee Airman Lincoln Hudson[14] (12 Mar 1916 - 26 Sep 1988) who had been severely beaten by the Germans during his interrogation, almost beyond recognition.[12] Hudson would survive the war, eventually serving as the Senior Vice President of Advertising at Johnson Publishing, the publishers of the historic Ebony Magazine and Jet Magazine.

Brown would also reunite with fellow Tuskegee Cadet 44-E-SE classmate and 99th Fighter Squadron buddy, 2nd Lt. George J. Iles (November 6, 1918 – December 9, 2004). Iles's aircraft was shot down by antiaircraft fire over Augsburg, Germany on February 25, 1945 as he tried to fly his damaged aircraft to neutral Switzerland.[15][16]

The Germans transferred Brown to the 86-acre, multinational Stalag VII-A (in full: Kriegsgefangenen-Mannschafts-Stammlager VII-A), the largest prisoner-of-war camp in Nazi Germany during World War II. While at Stalag VIII-A, Brown maintained a personal journal, detailing the names of cities he and fellow POWs marched to receive Red Cross packages. He also kept a list of food he intended to eat when he returned to the United States.[17]

On April 29, 1945, General George Patton and his Third Army liberated Brown as Patton's tanks drove into Stalag VII-A, capturing it.[4][2][5]

Throughout his entire ordeal as a POW in Nazi Germany, Brown was not tortured or beaten.[1]

Korean War and after

After World War II, Brown was stationed at Lockbourne AFB in Columbus, Ohio as an instructor.[10]

During the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force stationed Brown at the Far East Material Command in Tachikawa, Japan where he flew missions to Taegu, Pusan and Seoul.[10] During one mission, Brown's F-80 experienced an explosive decompression, causing the canopy to separate along with the rudder. The incident left a two-inch gash on Brown's flight helmet. Fortunately, Brown was able to land the F-80 safely without incurring serious injuries.[10]

After the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force assigned Brown to the Tuskegee Army Airfield as a flight instructor. He went on to earn qualifications as a Bombardier/Navigator during a 2nd stint at Lockbourne AFB.[10] Brown later became an Electronics Instructor, supervising other instructors as the Chief of Basic Electronics.[10]

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Brown served at Strategic Air Command, qualifying as a Boeing B-47 Stratojet Pilot.[2][10]

In 1965, Brown retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 23 years of active duty service.[18]

Civilian career

In 1965, Brown attended Ohio State University, earning a bachelor's degree in Mathematics.[10] Brown worked as an instructor at Clark Technical College, Gaston College, and as both an instructor and chairman of the electronics department at Columbus Area Technician School (later chartered as Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio).[10] Brown also earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in vocational-technical education from Ohio State University.[5] Brown would become Columbus State Community College's Vice President of Academic Affairs, facilitating the community college's growth from 500 students to nearly 9,000 students over the course of two decades.[11]

Brown later founded Brown & Associates, an educational consulting firm that he ran for 26 years until his age 88.[5]

Brown lives in Port Clinton, Ohio near Lake Erie with his wife, Marsha Bordner, retired president of Terra Community College in Fremont, Ohio.[citation needed]

Honors

  • In 2013, Heidelberg University awarded Brown an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.[5]
  • In 2017, the University of Findlay awarded Brown an honorary doctorate.[11]
  • In 2020, the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame inducted Brown into its ranks.[19][1] The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame also awarded Brown and his wife the "Writers of the Year" award for their book, “Keep Your Airspeed Up: The Story of a Tuskegee Airman.”[1][19]

Book

Brown is the co-author of “Keep Your Airspeed Up: The Story of a Tuskegee Airman,” co-written by Brown's wife, Marsha S. Bordner.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Caf Rise Above."Dr. Harold H. Brown." https://cafriseabove.org/dr-harold-h-brown/
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Keep Your Airspeed Up. https://www.airspeedup.com/bio/
  3. ^ "Tuskegee Airmen Pilot Roster". CAF Rise Above. CAF Rise Above. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c U.S. Air Force. "Tuskegee Airman describes service, time as POW during virtual call with 332nd AEW." 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs. Published February 21, 2021. https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2507981/tuskegee-airman-describes-service-time-as-pow-during-virtual-call-with-332nd-aew/
  5. ^ a b c d e Greater Miami Aviation Association. "Lt. Col. Harold Brown." https://www.gmaagala.com/lt-col-harold-brown/
  6. ^ a b c d Task & Purpose. Brookline Media. "They had to fight to get into the fight:’ One of the last Tuskegee Airmen recalls their battle for equality." BRIAN ALBRECHT, THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER. JULY 07, 2019
  7. ^ The Times Leader. "Saluting an American Hero." Dan Stokes. May 8, 2019. https://www.timesleader.com/top-stories/742830/saluting-an-american-hero
  8. ^ American Veterans Center. "Lt. Colonel Harold Brown, Tuskegee Airmen (Full Interview)." Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BikkgysaQ9c
  9. ^ The Montgomery Advrstiser. "Being a Red Tail pilot: 'What a pretty fantastic life'. Rebecca Burylo. August 15, 2017. https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/dispatch/2017/08/14/being-red-tail-pilot-what-pretty-fantastic-life/553574001/
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Minnesota Flyer. "Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame 2020 Inductee: DR. HAROLD H. BROWN 1924 - ." Brandon Montanye, Writer. https://www.mnflyer.com/story/2020/01/01/news/minnesota-aviation-hall-of-fame-2020-inductee/1097.html
  11. ^ a b c University of Findlay. Findlay Mag. "Tuskegee Tough: Lt. Col. Harold H. Brown Awarded Honorary Doctorate at University of Findlay." Jack Barger ‘01. https://mag.findlay.edu/tuskegee-tough/
  12. ^ a b Serving Our Seniors EC. "POW Capture, Volume 1." Jan 8, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRLS1bK-a50.
  13. ^ Hoffmann, Georg (2015-01-01). Fliegerlynchjustiz: Gewalt gegen abgeschossene alliierte Flugzeugbesatzungen 1943–1945 (in German). Ferdinand Schöningh. p. 296. ISBN 978-3-657-78137-9.
  14. ^ CHICAGO TRIBUNE. "Lincoln T. Hudson, 72, Johnson Publishing exec. Jerry Thornton. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-09-29-8802030018-story.html
  15. ^ Iles would later retire from the U.S. Airforce as a full-bird Colonel after a 30-year military career. Caf Rise Above. "George Jewell Iles." https://cafriseabove.org/george-jewell-iles/
  16. ^ Caf Rise Above. "Tuskegee Airmen POWs."https://cafriseabove.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Tuskegee-Airmen-POWs.pdf
  17. ^ Caf Rise Above. "Pages from POW journal of Tuskegee Airman Harold Brown." Dr. Harold Brown, Tuskegee Airman, Lt Col, USAF, Ret.
  18. ^ Findlay University. "Tuskegee Airman, German POW Survivor to Give Free, Public Presentation. Joy Brown. APRIL 2, 2018. https://newsroom.findlay.edu/tuskegee-airman-german-pow-survivor-to-give-free-public-presentation/
  19. ^ a b Commemorative Air Force. "TUSKEGEE AIRMAN HAROLD BROWN INDUCTED INTO MINNESOTA AVIATION HALL OF FAME." Red Wing, Minn. June 19, 2019. https://commemorativeairforce.org/news/tuskegee-airman-harold-brown-inducted-into-minnesota-aviation-hall-of-fame#:~:text=Tuskegee%20Airman%20Harold%20Brown%20Inducted%20Into%20Minnesota%20Aviation,Marsha%20Bordner%2C%20PhD%2C%20together%20also%20received%20recognition%20
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