This is a very difficult assignment. My life is divided by pre-WWII and post WWII. I enlisted as an idealistic young man right after Pearl Harbor. I knew nothing of war except what my father told me of his experiences in WWI. I really had to grow up in a hurry. I had a great interest in anything flying. I wanted to enlist for pilot training, but due to poor eyesight, ended up as an airplane mechanic which was fine as I was with airplanes. The fighter planes, of course, were my first love but the B-29 was such a great airplane that I was happy as a Crew Chief as anyone could be in a wartime situation.

I lost several planes and, of course, their crews. They never told us but I hope none of them were because of poor maintenance. For my crew and I always did our best and never let a plane go out on a mission that was defective in anyway.

The world was changed when the Atomic Bomb was detonated. We, the 45th, were on Tinian at the time. Little did we know the future repercussions of this event -- with Russia, the Cold War, now the present threats with North Korea & Iraq. As they say, there will always be wars and rumors of wars. I'm of the age now (82) that to sacrifice my grandchildren and great-grandchildren to any war other than that of saving our country is impossible for me! We have served: Granddad Civil War, Dad WWI, myself WWII. Let my family rest in peace.

Mr. Brown passed away September 5th 2012.  He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Ferndale, WA.