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name
BROWN, Jack Willis - Date of
birth
1 December 1921 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Homestead, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania -
Hometown
Homestead, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-545163 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
D Company,
2nd Battalion,
112th Infantry Regiment,
28th Infantry Division
-
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
9 November 1945 - Place of
death
In the vicinity Schmidt, Hürtgen Forest, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Elmer E. Brown (father)
Anna (Adams) Brown (mother)
Betty J. (Lee) Brown (wife)
Jack L. Brown (son)
More information
2nd Lt Jack W. Brown graduated from Swissvale High School in 1940 where he served as Junior Class President. He attended Penn State College with the Class of 1944.He joined the U.S. Army Reserve on 26 May 1942 in State College, Pennsylvania.
2nd Lt Brown was declared officially dead one day and one year after he was reported missing in action.
In October 1950 a graves registration detachment of the U.S. Army conducted a six weeks search of the area in the Hürtgen Forest, where it was believed Lt Brown was killed. Information was obtained from burgermeisters, forest guards, demining teams and local inhabitants as to where the heaviest fighting took place and where American and German positions were located. Subsequently, a methodical step by step examination of the terrain was made. Terrain and records were investigated at Gressenich, Grosshau, Kleinhau, Hürtgen, Mausbach, Raffelsbrand, Germeter, Vossenack, Simonskall and Zweifallshammer, however with negative results. It was therefore concluded that further investigation would not result in de recovery of his remains.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, IDPF, 1940 US Census, Penn State University, WWII Draft Card, Swissvale High School Yearbook 1940
Photo source: FOHF, State University Yearbook 1943, Swissvale High School Yearbook 1940