Brown, Donald G.

Description

Donald George Brown

Donald George Brown was born on October 29,Donald George Brown was born on October 29, 1925, in New York, New York, his father, George, was 37 and his mother, Loretta, was 39.

He had two sisters Gertrude and Virginia. In Rye his family lived at 300 Rye Beach Avenue and were members of the Church of the Resurrection.

Donald enlisted December 27,1943 and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He served with the Second Battalion, First Marine Regiment, First Marine Division. (See Discharge Record and Muster Rolls)

Marine Pfc. Donald C. Brown Wounded in Peleliu Campaign
Marine Pfc. Donald C. Brown was
wounded on
“Bloody Nose Ridge” during the Peleliu campaign, his parents
have learned through a letter from the
19-year old Marine. He has been
overseas about seven months having
entered the service two days after last
Christmas. His wounds are believed
to be slight since the letter- stated his
request to return to active service had
been granted.
The family has lived in Rye permanently for six years after spending
many summers here. Pfc. Brown is a
graduate of LaSalle Military Academy.

RYE. NEW YORK FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1944

The Battle of Peleliu, originally planned to last 72 hours, the battle raged on for 73 days as wave after wave of U.S. marines ebbed and flowed and the Japanese occupiers withdrew, swarmed forward, regrouped and picked off their foe with deadly accurate sniper fire, particularly on Bloody Nose Ridge.

Whether possession of the island was necessary for the Allied cause has been the source of much controversy. The 1st Marine Regiment fought on Peleliu for 10 days before being pulled off the lines after suffering 58% casualties and no longer being combat effective. Ten days of fighting on Peleliu cost the 1st Marine Regiment 1,749 casualties

Donald received his honorable discharge on November 7, 1945. He married Bette Jean Drummond on October 30, 1946, in Rye, New York. They had two children during their marriage.

Donald C. Brown died as a young father on October 17, 1955, in Killingworth, Connecticut, at the age of 29