1945 TBM-3E Avenger (Serial #91726) We will try to keep the page updated with the reassembly and restoration progress. Guy McAdory Brown Jr., Vicksburg, Mississippi’s Fallen Hero
On June 15, 1917, Guy M. and Clara Boyd Brown were blessed with the birth of a son, the only child they would have. was a teenager, Vicksburg and the surrounding area would know his name well. Guy excelled in many sports,
including tennis, football, and track. Guy also received accolades for his academic achievements, including being a member of the Pierian Literary Society, the student council, and being voted President of the junior class 1933-1934. Guy was named manager of the Carr Central High School football team his senior year. One can only imagine the pride his parents felt knowing their son was considered to be at the top of the ladder in so many different areas. Despite much research, there has been little information found to indicate where Guy Brown’s life took him between his graduation in 1935 and his enlistment in the United States Naval Reserve program on December 20, 1941. A passport to Brazil on November 20, 1940 listed his occupation as a mechanic. Like the great majority of Americans reeling in shock from the December 7, 1941, cowardly attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, Guy must have been determined to fight for his country and for the freedoms afforded by living in the USA. This is evident by his enlistment in the U.S. Naval Reserves on December 20, 1941, barely 2 weeks after the attack on freedom. Guy left for basic training on January 31, 1942, and returned March 5th, then on March 31st, headed to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fl. Just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Navy would receive the first of its new Grumman Torpedo bombers. These new planes were named Avengers, dedicated to avenging the deaths at Pearl Harbor. It is by no small chance Guy Brown would be assigned pilot and crew chief of the TBM Avenger. Guy’s career saw him assigned to the USS Bunker Hill and later to the USS Shangri La. While stationed on the USS Bunker Hill, Guy took part in an assignment to bomb a Japanese airfield and its facilities in the Marshall Islands. It was the morning of January 30, 1944. The pilots were briefed to drop bombs on the airfield but were also ordered to save one bomb for a Japanese ship found huddled in a nook of the harbor the pilots called the blue lagoon. Although the planes were all part of a squadron sharing the assignment, heavy cloud cover prevented some of the planes from rendezvousing with the rest of the squadron. Despite the heavy cloud cover, Brown decided to make his bombing run on the ship alone. His run was made through a hail of anti-aircraft fire. As he leveled off and started upstairs, he found his bomb had failed to release. Despite the fact his right wing had been riddled with AA fire, possibly causing structural damage, he made a second run on his target. Brown saw his bomb drop close enough to the transport ship’s waterline to assure damage to the ship. Brown’s Avenger, however, was seriously damaged, its hydraulic system had been shot away, one elevator was virtually demolished, and his engine was losing oil profusely due to a direct hit on the engine by the AA fire. Brown quickly turned his Avenger towards the location of his carrier. He was able to set up a glide that carried him 15 of the 100 miles between him and the safety of his carrier deck. Brown’s radioman, Frank Nugent, ARM2c of Jersey City, N.J. received a severe back injury in the forced water landing. Brown’s gunner, George Sandburg, ARM2c, of Camden, N.J. worked with Brown to extricate Nugent and place him safely in the plane’s life raft. While they were floating, an Avenger piloted by Lieutenant Paul Dickson droned overhead for five hours radioing coordinates to the USS Burns, a fletcher class destroyer and running mate of the USS Bunker Hill. The Burns had been dispatched to rescue the downed aviators. After night fell, and the rescue mission was complete, the Burns set sail to rejoin the USS Bunker Hill. Brown had no sooner hit the sack offered him by the Skipper when he heard voices in the hallway talking about surface vessels being spotted. In a moment Brown was out on the bridge, asking questions, who, where, how many? A young officer of the deck asked the skipper, Commander D.T. Eller, USN, should I order flank speed and try to slip thru them? The Skipper bellowed, Slip thru them my foot, I’ve been waiting for a chance like this for years, and we’re not going to run for it now. The Burns stalked the four Japanese ships until they were within firing range. A battle ensued and a mere 34 minutes later the USS Burns had sank all four Japanese ships leaving the ocean surface in a pool of oil and flames. Search of USS Burns vs. four Japanese ships tells the story of this record setting battle following the rescue of three downed American aviators. The report fails to mention it was Brown and his crew who were rescued. Guy Brown’s courage and leadership skills had once again risen to the occasion. While assigned to the USS Shangri La, Browned earned a reputation for being a good pilot with nerves of steel. He also earned a reputation for being quite a prankster. According to one of his fellow pilots, Lt. Frances D. Boyers, Brown would stay out a little later, drink a little more, and get more girls than most of the guys he served with. He was known to be one of the last guys back to his quarters and would often slip thru the sleeping quarters tipping his friends out of their bunks. Boyers said he was so fast they couldn’t catch him before he exited the quarters and would sometimes leap over the rail and land on the next floor down. All of this running and jumping was probably due to his training in high school. Boyers was not only a fellow pilot, he also received one of the highest honors the U.S. Navy presents to a pilot, The Flying Cross, awarded to pilots for courage and skill in keeping with the highest tradition of the U.S. Navy. On July 28, 1945, Guy Brown made his final flight. As part of Torpedo 85 group, Brown’s plane was loaded with twelve 100lb. bombs. The mission of the Torpedo bombers was to eliminate anti-aircraft artillery in the harbor and aboard the Oyedo and Tone. Guy Brown scored a hit on his target but at an altitude of 5000-8000 ft. His plane took a direct hit from the anti-aircraft fire and exploded in the air. The rear half of the fuselage disintegrated and the front half of the fuselage plummeted to the ocean with little chance for survivors. On that July day, Vicksburg lost a great student and athlete. Guy Brown’s parents lost their only child. The love and pride felt by Brown’s parents is obvious by the heavy pencil written chronological recordings made by his mother on the basement wall in the area where her washing machine sat. The journal starts with his enlistment date and notes each major movement of his career. The last entry was the one that broke their hearts, Missing in Action July 28, 1945. The current residents of Brown’s home have preserved the wall and the written recording. The writing is still very legible today. On February 2, 1950, less than five years after Guy Brown Jr. died, Guy’s father died. Exactly 10 days later Guy’s Mother died. Both are buried at Cedar Hill cemetery in Vicksburg, Ms. In between their graves is a marker for Guy Brown Jr. It seemed that with the death of Brown’s parents, his legacy would fade away. He has no known living family and most of the family friends have passed. We now accept the privilege of making Guy Brown Jr. and his heroic actions on behalf of freedom, known and celebrated in Vicksburg, Ms. and across America. His story and that of Dean Boyers and all the Torpedo pilots will travel with Avenger 91726. Guy brown did not die alone that day. His crew included his turret gunner, Charles Edward Smith Jr. USNR from Middle River, Maryland and also his radioman William Harry Winn USNR, from Los Angeles, Ca. When we acquired TBM Avenger 91726, we knew we wanted to commemorate the restoration of this aircraft to the brave men who flew and worked in and on these aircraft. The TBM Avenger crews were determined to avenge the deaths of Pearl Harbor and they more than achieved their goal. We had no idea we would find a forgotten hero who fought so hard and ultimately gave his life in an Avenger. It is with the utmost respect and honor we place the markings of VT-85 and Guy Brown's aircraft number, 96 on Avenger 91726. Our mission is to educate America to the role of these brave pilots and crew and to allow people to touch, hear and smell the airplane these men trusted and loved. The first Avengers were built by the Grumman Aircraft Corporation but as demand quickly increased, General Motors retrofitted their Trenton New Jersey Auto manufacturing plant to an aircraft factory. Almost 8000 of these aircraft were produced by General Motors. This was one of many factories manned largely by American women who took the task of raising their families alone and working on assembly lines building airplanes and many other products that supported the war effort. The Avenger is the largest single engine aircraft used during World War 2 and is credited with being the deadliest aircraft of World War 2 due to the number of ships sank by the Avengers and their crew. The total production number of Avengers built was 9839 and they were in service from 1942 till the 1960’s. Today there are reportedly less than 100 Avengers surviving with only about 30 in operable condition. This airplane and all of its crew have earned a place in the history of our great country. They have truly earned the right to be called the defenders of freedom.
