CMSgt. USAF (ret.), Bob was proud to be a fourth generation Californian, and was a long time resident of Challenge. His ancestry dates back to 1852 when his family left Indiana by wagon train and traveled to Northern CA.
Bob enlisted in the US Army Air Corps at the tender age of 16. He was assigned to the 34th Pursuit Squadron and trained as a medical technician. When the Pacific War broke out, Bob found himself on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. For the next five months American and Filipino forces fought valiantly against the invading Japanese with very little food or medicine to sustain them. On April 9, 1942, with General MacArthur having already escaped to Australia the US/Filipino forces were surrendered to the Japanese Army.
Still only 17 years old, Bob was one of the youngest survivors of the Bataan Death March that followed the surrender. He was held prisoner in Mukden China where he lost down to 80 lbs. After the war, he returned to his home in Marysville, CA. where he continued to serve in Air Force.
Bob retired from the Military in 1969. He was awarde the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, three Presidential Unit Citations, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal and a number of other service medals.
He was a life member of the Marysville Elks Lodge #783, Moose Lodge #1204; life member of American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a step-daughter and a step-son, a sister and several step grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Howard and parents Donna and Howard Brown Sr.
He was laid to rest October 23, 2008.
Bob enlisted in the US Army Air Corps at the tender age of 16. He was assigned to the 34th Pursuit Squadron and trained as a medical technician. When the Pacific War broke out, Bob found himself on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. For the next five months American and Filipino forces fought valiantly against the invading Japanese with very little food or medicine to sustain them. On April 9, 1942, with General MacArthur having already escaped to Australia the US/Filipino forces were surrendered to the Japanese Army.
Still only 17 years old, Bob was one of the youngest survivors of the Bataan Death March that followed the surrender. He was held prisoner in Mukden China where he lost down to 80 lbs. After the war, he returned to his home in Marysville, CA. where he continued to serve in Air Force.
Bob retired from the Military in 1969. He was awarde the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, three Presidential Unit Citations, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal and a number of other service medals.
He was a life member of the Marysville Elks Lodge #783, Moose Lodge #1204; life member of American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a step-daughter and a step-son, a sister and several step grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Howard and parents Donna and Howard Brown Sr.
He was laid to rest October 23, 2008.
CMSgt. USAF (ret.), Bob was proud to be a fourth generation Californian, and was a long time resident of Challenge. His ancestry dates back to 1852 when his family left Indiana by wagon train and traveled to Northern CA.
Bob enlisted in the US Army Air Corps at the tender age of 16. He was assigned to the 34th Pursuit Squadron and trained as a medical technician. When the Pacific War broke out, Bob found himself on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. For the next five months American and Filipino forces fought valiantly against the invading Japanese with very little food or medicine to sustain them. On April 9, 1942, with General MacArthur having already escaped to Australia the US/Filipino forces were surrendered to the Japanese Army.
Still only 17 years old, Bob was one of the youngest survivors of the Bataan Death March that followed the surrender. He was held prisoner in Mukden China where he lost down to 80 lbs. After the war, he returned to his home in Marysville, CA. where he continued to serve in Air Force.
Bob retired from the Military in 1969. He was awarde the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, three Presidential Unit Citations, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal and a number of other service medals.
He was a life member of the Marysville Elks Lodge #783, Moose Lodge #1204; life member of American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a step-daughter and a step-son, a sister and several step grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Howard and parents Donna and Howard Brown Sr.
He was laid to rest October 23, 2008.
Bob enlisted in the US Army Air Corps at the tender age of 16. He was assigned to the 34th Pursuit Squadron and trained as a medical technician. When the Pacific War broke out, Bob found himself on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. For the next five months American and Filipino forces fought valiantly against the invading Japanese with very little food or medicine to sustain them. On April 9, 1942, with General MacArthur having already escaped to Australia the US/Filipino forces were surrendered to the Japanese Army.
Still only 17 years old, Bob was one of the youngest survivors of the Bataan Death March that followed the surrender. He was held prisoner in Mukden China where he lost down to 80 lbs. After the war, he returned to his home in Marysville, CA. where he continued to serve in Air Force.
Bob retired from the Military in 1969. He was awarde the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, three Presidential Unit Citations, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal and a number of other service medals.
He was a life member of the Marysville Elks Lodge #783, Moose Lodge #1204; life member of American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a step-daughter and a step-son, a sister and several step grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Howard and parents Donna and Howard Brown Sr.
He was laid to rest October 23, 2008.
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CMSGT US AIR FORCE
WORLD WAR II
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
PURPLE HEART
BATAAN SURVIVOR
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