Jesse LeRoy Brown, born October 13, 1926 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, graduated as salutatorian of his high school. Despite racism, he graduated from Ohio State University. In 1946, he enlisted in the US Navy, first becoming a midshipman, and then earned his pilot wings on October 21, 1948. He was the first African American to complete the US Navy's basic flight training program.
He was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Leyte in January 1949. The Leyte was ordered to the Korean Peninsula in October 1950. On December 4, 1950, Brown's Corsair was shot down and he crash landed on a remote mountaintop. He survived the crash and his wingman Thomas Hudner intentionally crashed his plane to rescue Brown.
Unfortunately, Brown was trapped inside the cockpit, and despite the attempts by Hudner to rescue him failed. He passed away, He was the first African American US Navy officer killed in the Korean War.
For his actions, Brown was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, and the Air Medal.
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