Brown deployed to Africa, Cuba and across Europe
MADISON – Marvin H. Brown entered the National Guard, Tank Battalion in Lewisburg, Tenn. in 1948 as a Private.
In 1950, Brown was released to enter the U.S. Navy. He reached the rank of Corporal by release.
At Fort Jackson, S.C., he completed two two-week training exercises and met weekly for training. Brown then entered four years of active duty in S.R. boot camp at Great Lakes, Ill. He reported to U.S.S. Hugh Purvis DD-709, Newport, R.I. in 1950.
After approximately one year on the deck force, he attended a 12-week Teleman course and graduated as TE-3 for primarily mail clerk duties. Brown deployed to Africa, Gibraltar, Isle of Rhodes, Cuba, Turkey, Greece, Sicily, Portugal, France, Italy, Spain, Scotland, Puerto Rico, Palestine, Germany and other sites.
For his last three months, Brown was a patient in Philadelphia Military Hospital. Brown attended monthly training and two-week active duty training, usually onboard. He was discharged honorably in June 1954, TE-2. He joined U.S. Naval Reserve in Nashville, Tenn. in 1954 and then transferred to Huntsville Naval Reserve in 1956.
Brown was promoted to YN1 in November 1959 and discharged from Naval Reserve in 1960.
“In 1961, a board of naval officers reviewed my civilian experience, education and prior military experience and offered me a non-paid Supply Officer O-3 or paid Chief Storekeeper to re-enlist in Naval Reserve,” he said.
Eventually, Brown accepted the position of Chief Petty Officer and rejoined Naval Reserves. “We were on standby (for) Vietnam, Bay of Pigs, Somalia and other skirmishes,” he said.
He transferred to Navy Seabees as E-7 Chief Storekeeper in Huntsville in 1976 and to THIRD RNCR in 1984 in Atlanta and was promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer with four battalions reporting — Huntsville; Jacksonville, Fla.; Greenville, S.C.; and North Carolina. He had air detachment training at Fort Benning, Ga. and was active as Supply Officer.
He received numerous medals, including National Defense, European Occupation, Meritorious Service, Korean Service, Cold War, Active Duty and Naval Reserve Good Conduct.
“I retired at age 60 in November 1991 with a little over 40 years of total service,” Brown said.
He and his wife Julia Ann were married in 1954. “We moved to Athens in November 1956 after substantial work came to Redstone Arsenal in June 1956.” Their sons are David H. Brown, deceased; M. Douglas Brown, petroleum engineer in Houston, Texas; and W. Richard Brown, electrical engineer at Redstone Arsenal.
“My hometown was Lewisburg, Tenn. In 1956, I started worked in purchasing and contracting on Redstone Arsenal. I transferred to Marshall Space Flight Center in 1961 and retired as a deputy director at Management Operations Office,” Brown said. “For about 18 months, I worked part time at MSFC for the University of Indiana. I developed property after retirement.”
At night, Brown attended Columbia, Tenn. Community College. He graduated from Athens College with a bachelor’s degree in business and economics in 1970.
Brown formerly participated in Athens Lions Club and VFW and currently in American Legion and Forever Young Senior Veterans. He volunteers at church and to help those in need. He also visits schools as a veteran.
