lest we forget

BROWN, JAMES DAVID

Rank / Branch:

  • SPECIALIST FOURTH CLASS, U. S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1953-05-18

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE, CRASH HELICOPTER

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • CH-47 CHONOOK

Other:

  • NOT MARRIED

Unit:

  • FIRST AVIATION BRIGADE

Date Of Loss:

  • 1972-10-31

Loss Coordinates:

  • DINH TUONG

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • BROWN, JAMES DAVID, SPECIALIST FOUR, U.S. ARMY, SAN ANGELO, TOM GREEN COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • COMBAT INFANTRYMANS BADGE, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITAR MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL.

BIOGRAPHY

  • James was born in Riverside County, California to Thelma Louise Yancey and James Charles Brown. His father was career Air Force and he was raised from England to Taiwan. He graduated from San Angelo Central in 1971 when his father was assigned to Goodfellow Air Force Base. He was known as David to his family and friends. He enlisted in the Army in the summer of 1971 at age 17. He was an honor graduate of his paratroop class and his Ranger training class.
  • He completed basic training and infantry AIT at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He also completed jungle training in Panama. He started his tour in Vietnam on March 17, 1971. He was assigned as an infantryman with C Troop, 16th Cav, 164th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. The Vietnamization Program of withdrawing American Troops from combat roles was underway and C Troop, 164th Aviation was formerly C Troop, 16th Cav, 50th Infantry Regiment, which had been re-designated, and the mission was changed to provide security and support to Aviation Groups under the First Aviation Brigade.
  • On October 31, 1972, C Troop was being ferried by CH47 helicopters to provide security for an operation. Specialist Brown was a passenger in CH47C tail number 69-17119. This helicopter was shot down by a SAM-7 missile. The helicopter crashed and killed all on board.
  • Specialist Four Brown was buried with full military honors in the Plainview Cemetery in Plainview, Texas. Hia mother was a Plainview native before marrying David's father. His parents spent their retirement years in Albuquerque after his father retired as a Senior Master Sergeant at Kirtland, AFB. His parents are now deceased and are buried next to him. He was also survived by his sisters, Jean Louise and Mary Kathleen of the home and his brother, Rodney Brown of the home.
  • EDISON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, SAN ANGELO
  • AFTER RANGER TRAINING
  • PLAINVIEW CEMETERY, PLAINVIEW, TEXAS