Carl A. Brown Jr.

Carl Allen Brown Jr. was a United States Navy double-fighter ace during the Second World War. Born in Texarkana, Texas, he scored 10.5 arial victories against the enemy and participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where he shot down five enemy aircraft in one day subsequently earning the title "Ace in a Day" and the Navy Cross.

Early life Brown was born on July 24, 1917, to Carl Allen Brown Sr. and Golda Allen Garner Brown. He has two siblings, an older sister named Lola Marion Brown Chiles and a younger brother named Jack Morris Brown. The Texarkana that Brown and his siblings grew up in has a railroad hub for the Cotton Belt that had a population of over 20,000 and was home to many businesses related to timber and agriculture. By the time he was in his early teenage years, Brown had gained an interest in aviation.

War service While it is not necessarily clear when and where Brown entered military service, he held the rank of lieutenant by 1944. Brown and his squadron participated in the Marianas operations from June 11 to June 19, where he would shoot down two enemy planes and strafe ground positions effectively. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in these operations. He was awarded a second Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions over the Philippines. On the morning on October 24, the Task Force was rapidly approached by a massive Japanese strike force aimed at destroying the carrier convoy. Brown would subsequently shoot down five of these attacking enemy aircraft while damaging another before they could reach the Allied task force. Brown and his fighters were quickly engaged in combat directly over the Princeton when a D4Y "Judy" Dive Bomber penetrated the fighter cover and scored a direct hit on the ship. The bomb pierced the flight deck and detonated near the hangar, causing an intense fire.