John Herbert "Babe" Brown, Jr. (October 12, 1891 – June 10, 1963) was a decorated officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

with the rank of Vice admiral during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

player. A graduate of the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

, Brown trained as submariner and served successively as Commander, Submarine Squadron 4 and Commander Training Command, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet in the opening years of

. Brown was then promoted to Rear admiral and commanded Cruiser Division One during the bombardment of Japan in summer 1945. Following the War, Brown remained in the Navy and commanded successively

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Founded in 1800, PNS is U.S. Navy's oldest continuo ...

; Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet and Fourth Naval District, before retiring in January 1954.

Early career

John H. Brown Jr. was born on October 12, 1891 in Canton, Pennsylvania as the son of John H. Brown. Following the graduation from local high school in summer of 1910, he earned an appointment to the

at Annapolis, Maryland and became active in football and wrestling teams. Brown excelled in football and awarded Varsity "N" for excellence. He was nicknamed "Babe" or "the Great Babe" and gained reputation as superb

Guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

, who was accounted for all of Navy's points (two field goals) in a 6 to 0 victory in the 1913 Army–Navy Game. He was selected by

Walter Camp Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage and the system ...

as a consensus first-team guard on the

1913 College Football All-America Team The 1913 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans for the 1913 college football season. The only two selectors who have been recognized as "official" selectors by the National Col ...

. Among his classmate were several admirals, who distinguished later during

including Wilder D. Baker,

Carleton F. Bryant Carleton Fanton Bryant (November 29, 1892 – April 11, 1987) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice admiral (United States), Vice Admiral. He distinguished himself as Commander of the Gunfire Support Group ...

, Robert W. Cary, Edward L. Cochrane, Richard L. Conolly,

Edward Ellsberg Edward Ellsberg, OBE (November 21, 1891 – January 24, 1983) was an officer in the United States Navy and a popular author. He was widely known as "Commander Ellsberg". Early years Ellsberg was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and grew up in Col ...

, William K. Harrill, Robert W. Hayler, Oliver Kessing, Herbert J. Ray,

Joseph Redman Joseph Reasor Redman (April 17, 1891September 7, 1968) was an admiral in the United States Navy. A naval communications officer, he played key roles in signals intelligence during World War II, while he served as Director of Naval Communications. ...

, Theodore D. Ruddock, John B. W. Waller and Lloyd J. Wiltse. Brown graduated with

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

degree on June 6, 1914 and was commissioned

Ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

on that date. He was subsequently assigned to battleship ''Georgia'' under the command of future Chief of Naval Operations, Robert Coontz and deployed to Mexican waters in order to protect American interests during the Mexican Revolution. From August to October 1914, ''Georgia'' operated in Haitian waters to protect Americans in the country, which was also experiencing internal unrest. In December 1916, Brown was ordered to the

Naval Submarine Base New London Naval Submarine Base New London is the primary United States Navy East Coast submarine base, also known as the "Home of the Submarine Force." It is located in Groton, Connecticut directly across the Thames River from its namesake city of New L ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

for submarine instruction, which he completed several months later aboard submarine tender ''Fulton''. He was then assigned to submarine ''C-2'', patrolling the coast of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. Following the United States entry into World War I, Brown was promoted to

lieutenant (junior grade) Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies. United States Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), ...

in June 1917 and transferred to submarine ''G-4'', which served for training and instruction duties at New London Submarine School. While in this capacity, Brown was promoted to the temporary rank of

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in October 1917 and assumed command of the submarine.

Interwar period

In early 1919, Brown was ordered to

Boston Navy Yard The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of t ...

, where he joined the crew of newly commissioned submarine ''R-2'' under lieutenant commander Charles M. Cooke. He later relieved Cooke as Commanding officer and participated in the summer exercises off southern

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

, before proceeded through

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...

to ship's new base in

San Pedro, California San Pedro ( ; Spanish: "St. Peter") is a neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, California. Formerly a separate city, it consolidated with Los Angeles in 1909. The Port of Los Angeles, a major international seaport, is partially located wi ...

. Brown was detached in September 1921 and ordered to the

Bethlehem Steel Company The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. For most of the 20th century, it was one of the world's largest steel producing and shipbuilding companies. At the height of its succ ...

in Quincy, Massachusetts for duty in connection with fitting out of submarine ''S-42''. The ship was commissioned in late November 1924 and Brown took her to Caribbean for patrol duty. While in command, he was promoted to

lieutenant commander Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding ran ...

in June 1925. In October 1927, Brown was transferred to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, where he joined the

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific du ...

. He was ordered to

in September 1929 for duty in connection with fitting out of submarine ''Narwhal'', the

lead ship The lead ship, name ship, or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable to naval ships and large civilian vessels. Large ships are very complex and may ...

of her class. The ship was commissioned on May 15, 1930 and Brown participated in the

sea trial A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a " shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and ...

s off the

Boon Island Boon Island is a barren, rocky island in the Gulf of Maine off the coast of York, Maine. The island, which is approximately by at low tide, is the site of Boon Island Light, at high, it is the tallest lighthouse in New England. Numerous ves ...

Gulf of Maine , image = , alt = , caption = , image_bathymetry = GulfofMaine2.jpg , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = Major features of the Gulf of Maine , location = Northeast coast of the ...

. His ship dived to 332 Feet and remained there for 45 minutes, breaking the Navy record for depth. Also aboard was Commandant of

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the ci ...

, Rear admiral William W. Phelps. Following a period of patrol duty with Pacific Fleet off

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

and the West Coast of the United States, Brown was transferred to the

at Annapolis, Maryland by the end of May 1933 and joined the Department of Physical Training. He served consecutively under Captains

John W. Wilcox Jr. John Walter Wilcox Jr. (22 March 1882 – 27 March 1942) was a rear admiral of the United States Navy. He saw service in World War I and in the opening weeks of United States involvement in World War II before being lost overboard from his fla ...

and Robert C. Giffen as Graduate Manager of Athletics and was promoted to Commander on June 30, 1935. In September 1936, Brown was transferred to the light cruiser ''Milwaukee'' and assumed duty as an Executive officer under Captain Alan G. Kirk. He participated in the patrol cruises through the Western Pacific during the period of tensions between China and Japan and returned to the United States in December 1938 for duty as Officer-in-Charge of the Naval Recruiting Station Philadelphia. Brown was ordered to the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associ ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New Yor ...

in June 1940 and completed Senior course there one year later. He was promoted to Captain on July 1, 1941 and assumed command of light cruiser ''Richmond''. Brown participated with his ship as the part of rear admiral

Abel T. Bidwell Abel ''Hábel''; ar, هابيل, Hābīl is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He was the younger brother of Cain, and the younger son of Adam and Eve, the first couple in Biblical history. He was a shepherd wh ...

's Cruiser Division 3 in the

neutrality patrol On September 3, 1939, the British and French declarations of war on Germany initiated the Battle of the Atlantic. The United States Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) established a combined air and ship patrol of the United States Atlantic coa ...

s off the coast of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

against

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

raiders and after Japanese

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...

on December 7, 1941, he led ''Richmond'' to Panama Canal Zone.

World War II

During the opening months of the United States involvement in the World War II, Brown commanded ''Richmond'' during the escorting reinforcement convoys to the

Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands (Spanish: , , ) are an archipelago of volcanic islands. They are distributed on each side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the centre of the Western Hemisphere, and are part of the Republic of Ecuador ...

and

Society Islands The Society Islands (french: Îles de la Société, officially ''Archipel de la Société;'' ty, Tōtaiete mā) are an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are part of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the ...

. He was transferred to

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...

in mid-June 1942 and assumed duty as Commander, Submarine Squadron 4. While in this capacity, he was responsible for the administration and training of three submarine divisions of total 15 submarines and for planning of their operations. The ships under his command had sink seventy-two ships totaling 394,752 tons and in damaging 54 ships totaling 374,449 tons during this period. He was an early advocate of wolf packs and participated in the fifth patrol aboard his former submarine ''Narwhal'' in the

Kurile Islands The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...

area from June to August 1943, becoming the oldest officer to make a war patrol during the war. For his service in this capacity, he was decorated with Legion of Merit with

Combat "V" Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

. Following the tragic death of Rear admiral Robert H. English on January 21, 1943, Brown served as acting commander of the Pacific Fleet submarine force for three weeks, before Rear admiral Charles A. Lockwood relieved him. He then resumed his command of Submarine Squadron 4 and remained in that command until November that year, when he was promoted to Rear admiral and appointed Commander Training Command, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. While in this capacity, Brown also established an intensive training program at Pearl Harbor, which included a Torpedo Data Computer school to improve proficiency in submarine fire control. He was further responsible for the study of enemy tactics and anti-submarine measures and the necessary development of attack doctrines, evasive tactics and counter anti-submarine measures to successfully cope with the intensified enemy activity. He also developed Submarine Lifeguard Exercises which enabled submarines of the force to successfully carry out missions of recovering numerous friendly aviators downed in enemy waters. He was decorated with Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service as Commander Training Command, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. Brown remained in that assignment until the end of April 1945, when he was transferred to North Pacific and assumed command of Cruiser Division One, a part of

North Pacific Force Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War, and one of three United States commands in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Admir ...

under Vice admiral

Frank J. Fletcher Frank Jack Fletcher (April 29, 1885 – April 25, 1973) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. Fletcher commanded five different Task force#United States Navy, task forces through WWII; he was the ...

. His command consisted of four old light cruisers, all with over twenty years of service, and Brown broke his flag aboard his former command ''Richmond''. Other ships were ''Concord'', ''Trenton'' and ''Detroit''. His force conducted four anti-shipping sweeps in enemy waters and seven bombardments of enemy territory in the

Kuriles The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льские острова́, r=Kuril'skiye ostrova, p=kʊˈrʲilʲskʲɪjə ɐstrɐˈva; Japanese: or ) are a volcanic archipelago currently administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the ...

, inflicting considerable damage on the enemy and his shipping. Following the surrender of Japan, Cruiser Division One participated in the occupation of Northern

Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...

and

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The lar ...

, Japan. Brown received his second Legion of Merit with

for his service in North Pacific.

Postwar service

Following the war, Brown succeeded admiral Fletcher as Commander,

and remained in that capacity for few months, before returned to the United States for duty as Commander,

. He remained in that assignment until November 1949, when returned to

for duty as Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, an assignment he once held in early 1943. Brown commanded all Pacific Fleet submarines during the early months of

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

. Brown assumed his final assignment in May 1951, when he was transferred to

for duty as Commandant, Fourth Naval District, which consisted of the following geographic areas:

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, the southern part of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

(including the counties of

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...

Ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...

, and all counties south thereof), and

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

(including

Winter Quarters Shoal Winter is the coldest season of the year in Polar regions of Earth, polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring (season), spring. The tilt of Axial tilt#Earth, Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a Hemi ...

Light Vessel A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship that acts as a lighthouse. They are used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction. Although some records exist of fire beacons being placed on ships in Roman times, t ...

). He was succeeded by Rear admiral Ernest H. Von Heimburg and retired from active duty on January 31, 1954, after almost forty years of commissioned service. Brown was advanced to the rank of Vice admiral on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat.

Retirement

Upon his retirement from the Navy, Brown was appointed President of the

National Football Foundation The National Football Foundation (NFF) is a non-profit organization to promote and develop amateur American football on all levels throughout the United States and "developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the dr ...

, which sponsors the College Football Hall of Fame. While still in the Navy, he was selected to the all-time all-star Navy team and also elected to the

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...

Hall of Fame in October 1951. Brown was also a member of the Naval Order of the United States. Vice admiral John H. Brown Jr. died on June 10, 1963, aged 71 in

Middletown, Delaware Middletown is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 18,871. Geography and climate Middletown is located at (39.4495560, –75.7163207) with an elevation of . According t ...

. He was buried with full military honors at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

together with his wife Nellie R. Janvier. They had two children: a son John H. Brown 3rd and a daughter Mariana Willie.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Vice admiral John H. Brown Jr.:

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, John H. Jr. 1891 births 1963 deaths People from Canton, Pennsylvania People from Middletown, Delaware Navy Midshipmen football players All-American college football players American football guards American football tackles College Football Hall of Fame inductees United States submarine commanders United States Navy vice admirals United States Naval Academy alumni Naval War College alumni United States Navy personnel of World War I United States Navy World War II admirals Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Military personnel from Pennsylvania