Fred Brown Jr

Military
media-27912.jpeg UPL 27912 Capt. Fred Brown. SFX/1SF (ex 401st BG). P-51D 44-13709 YF-H "Frances Ann".

Object Number - UPL 27912 - Capt. Fred Brown. SFX/1SF (ex 401st BG). P-51D 44-13709 YF-H "Frances Ann".

Assigned to 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 29 x missions on B-17's as co-pilot to 1st Lt Fred D Grinham.



On 1 Dec 1943 Solingen mission: Lt Brown discovered that 3 bombs had jammed in the bomb bay when the load was discharged. Standing on the catwalk as the sub-zero winds whistled through the open bomb bay, he kicked the bombs loose. Later he shared his own oxygen supply with Sgt. Charles M. Lewis, whose supply had been fouled.



Subsequent tour with Experimental Scout Force on P-51's. Transferred 1st Scouting Force. End of War (EOW).



Awards: AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Farmer's Daughter
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron 615th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (IN-F, serial number 42-31037) nicknamed "Pistol Packin' Mama" of the 613th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '1. Completed 7th msision Frankfurt, Jan. 29, 1944. 2. Lost 31 B-17's.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pistol Packin Mama
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fool's Luck
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little moe
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pakawalup II
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron 615th Bomb Squadron

Places

Aerial photography of Honington airfield looking south, the technical site with four C-type hangars and bomb dump are at the top, 21 June 1946. Photograph taken by No. 540 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1589. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: RAF Honington

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

19 December 1921 Son of Fred Snr and Martha Tippett [Broady] Brown.

Other

Crashed

1 September 1944 Take Off Accident Steeple Morden/Sta 122 Cat 3 damage 1Lt Fred (NMI) Brown Jr, 1-Sep-44. P-51D5 - 44-13709 ESF 355FG 122 8

Based

Transferred 1st Scouting Force

20 September 1944 Transferred to [385FS], 1st Scouting Force.

Based

Transferred 384th Fighter Squadron

22 October 1944 Transferred to [384FS], 1st Scouting Force.

Died

1 August 1946 Fatal Crash East off Mather Fld CA Cat 4 damage 1Lt Fred (NMI) Brown Jr, 1-Aug-46. P-47N 45-49528 - 3010AAFBU Williams Fld, AZ FTC .

Other

End of War

End of War (EOW).

Based

20 September 1944 Transferred to Experimental Scouting Force.

Based

Assigned to 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 29 missions between 26-Nov-43 to 22-Jun-44.

Buried

Greenlawn Memorial Park Bakersfield Kern County California, USA.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Capitalized the words in the "Role/job" field to aid readability.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorHotelie1970
Changes
Sources

GENERAL ORDER # 557, dated 24 November 1944: From Headquarters 1st Bombardment Division, Office of the Commanding Brigadier General Turner.

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia ;
- http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=3895

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/?Search=yes;

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Fred Brown: Gallery (7 items)