Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

Far East Air Forces

Awarded on:

July 30th, 1945

Citation:
"For heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy at Biak Island, Netherlands East Indies, on 27 May 1944. Sergeant Brown was a member of a fighter control unit which landed at Biak on the day it was invaded, to set up air-ground communications for air warning and fighter control. The group dug in on a coral knoll which was vulnerable to enemy infiltrationsince it was outside the American perimeter. Shortly after midnight a large Japanese patrol attacked with machine-guns, rifles, and grenades but Sergeant Brown held his position and killed one Japanese soldier. As he moved to escape enemy fire, he heared a wounded companion calling for help. Crawling 30 yards through rifle fire and bursting grenades to the side of his fellow-soldier, whom he found badly wounded, Sergeant Brown dragged him to a place of safety. The outstanding courage and devotion to duty displayed by Sergeant Brown reflect great credit upon himself and the military service."