Veterans' Memorial Project

Harold McLin Brown

Hillsboro, IL

World War II

College: Liberal Arts & Sciences

Graduation Year: Attended 1943

Service Branch: Air Force

Rank: Corporal

Date of Birth: 11/23/1925

Date of Death: 02/12/1945

Corporal Brown served with the 39th Bomber Squadron, 6th Bomber Group, Very Heavy. He was a B-29 waist gunner based in the Marianas, when his plane caught fire and exploded during a searching mission for the Navy. The plane left the base at Tinian for Tokyo, but 40 minutes after takeoff one engine caught fire and was extinguished. Within a short time the engine caught fire again, so plans were made to land the plane on the water. Before the craft reached the water, it exploded and no trace was found of the crew members or the plane. Corporal Brown had gone overseas the month before. He is listed as Missing in Action or Buried at Sea on the Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii. He was awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart.

-taken from Illinois Alumni News, July, 1945, and Web site above

Further information: https://www.abmc.gov

Submit additional information or comments

Your Name
Email
Your relationship to veteran
Veteran's home city
State
Years attended U of I
Graduation year
College
Date of birth
Date of death
Branch of Service
Rank
Fraternities, clubs or other organizations affiliated with
Additional comments or information
Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.