ALLIE OVERTON BROWN was the son and only child of Ethel Adeline (twin) Scoles and Mr Brown (his name is unknown to this compiler). He was born 12 Aug 1922 in Brownstown, Fayette, Illinois. His given name was the short form of his grandmother's given name of Alethia. Ethel married Paul Alphens Rush about 1923 and together they raised Allie. They had one child, a daughter named Pauline who married Maurice A. Ballard on 09 Nov 1946. She died in 2017.

Allie Overton Brown enlisted in the US Navy (NSN: 337-38-19) as an Apprentice Seaman (A.S.) on 17 Sept 1940 in St. Louis, MO. Brown was sent to the Naval Training Station (NTS), Great Lakes, IL for recruit training. He completed his training in early November, and after a short leave period, he reported on board the battleship USS Tennessee (BB-43) for duty on 25 Nov 1940. AS Brown changed rate to Fireman Third Class (F3/c) on 17 Jan 1941. F3/c Brown was promoted on 01 May 1941 to Fireman Second Class (F2/c). He was detached on 31 July 1941 from the Tennessee to report to the receiving ship in San Francisco for further transfer (FFT) to the Asiatic Fleet. He reported on board the transport, USS Henderson (AP-1), on 11 Aug 1941 as a passenger. The Henderson sailed from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor and then on to the Philippines. He reported on 14 Sep 1941 for duty on board the seaplane tender, USS Langley (AV-3), that was located at Tutu Bay, Philippines.

Several months later at the outbreak of WWII, Langley lay off Cavite, Philippine Islands. She sailed on 8 December and steamed to Balikpapan, Borneo, and Darwin, Australia arriving on New Year's Day 1942. A few weeks later she joined the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDACOM) forces assembled in Indonesia in response to anticipated Japanese advances in that area. Langley steamed from Fremantle, Australia on 22 Feb in a convoy which she left five days later to deliver 32 P-40's to Tjilatjap harbor on the southern coast of Java, Dutch East Indies.

The morning of 27 Feb 1942 dawned clear with light seas. Langley was nearing Tjilatjap some 100 miles distant, having been recently joined by her antisubmarine screen comprised of destroyers Whipple (DD-217) and Edsall (DD-219). However, about 0900, a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft spotted the three vessels and a short time later relayed the contact information to his base. At 1140, nine "Betty" twin-engine enemy bombers attacked Langley. The first and second Japanese strikes were unsuccessful, however, during the third attack Langley took five hits. Her engine room quickly flooded; steering was impaired, and the ship took a 10° list to port. Langley went dead in the water. At 1332, the order to abandon ship was passed. To prevent Langley's capture the escorting destroyers fired nine 4-inch shells and two torpedoes into the Langley to insure her sinking. She went down (although neither of the destroyers actually saw her sink) about 75 miles south of Tjilatjap with a loss of 16. The survivors were rescued by the destroyers Whipple and Edsall. Early the following morning, the survivors transferred to the fleet oiler, USS Pecos (AO-6), and thirty-three Air Corps pilots and crew transferred to Edsall. Pecos was attacked and sank on 01 Mar 1942 while steaming to Australia, with the loss of many lives. Later the same day, Edsall, also attacked, sank with the loss of her crew and all the Army pilots. Decades later historians learned that an unknown number of Edsall’s crew were rescued by the Japanese and later executed.

It is not known whether F2/c Brown was lost in the attack on the Langley or during the sinking of the Pecos on 01 Mar 1942. Fireman Brown was declared missing in action on 15 April 1942 and presumed dead on 15 December 1945. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two stars, US Navy Combat Action Ribbon, Philippine Defense Medal, Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation, US Army Presidential Unit Citation and the World War II Victory medal.

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His family also received the following commemoration from President Truman in honor of Fireman First Class Brown. It reads:

In grateful memory of ALLIE OVERTON BROWN, who died in the service of his country at SEA, Java Sea Area, ATTACHED U.S.S. LANGLEY, 15 December 1945 (Presumed). He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives -- in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.

(Signed) Harry S. Truman, President of the United States

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The Decatur Herald (Decatur, IL) - 10 April 1942, p.21

St. James Boy Lost in Action

Seaman Allie Overton Brown lost in action with the sinking of the aircraft tender Langley off Java according to a message from the Navy department received by his mother, Mrs Paul Rush. Brown was 17 years of age when he enlisted in the navy the previous summer. His mother, step-father, and half sister, Pauline, survive him.

[Article edited for brevity, clarity, and genealogical relevance.]

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Regarding the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) award, see Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual online (SECNAVINST 1650.1H of Aug 22, 2006, chapter 8 - 831 para 3a (3)). It reads, "Personnel aboard a ship are eligible (for the CAR) when the safety of the ship and the crew was endangered by enemy attack, such as a ship hit by a mine or a ship engaged by shore, surface, air, or sub-surface elements." The eligibility is retroactive to 07 Dec 1941.

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Citation of Units of Both Military and Naval Forces of the United States and Philippine Governments.

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As authorized by Executive Order No. 9075 (sec. II, Bull. 11, W.D., 1942), a citation in the name of the President of the United States, as public evidence of deserved honor and distinction, is awarded to all units of both military and naval forces of the United States and Philippine Governments engaged in the defense of the Philippines since December 7, 1941. (Later, it was called the Army Presidential Unit Citation).

By order of the Secretary of War:

G. C. MARSHALL,

Chief of Staff.

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Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation

Establishing Authority

The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation was established by Headquarters, Philippine National Defense Forces, General Order Number 532 of September 14, 1946, as amended.

Acceptance by the United States

For service during World War II, acceptance is sanctioned by Public Law 80-314, which authorized the acceptance and wear of foreign decoration, medals, and awards in connection with services in World War II between the inclusive dates of December 7, 1941 and July 24, 1948.

Effective Dates

The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation has been in effect since September 14, 1946.

Criteria

The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation is awarded for extraordinarily meritorious service. The Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation has been awarded to United States military personnel who participated in the following:

• World War II

Service in the defense of the Philippines from December 7, 1941 to May 10, 1942.

Service in the liberation of the Philippines from October 17, 1944 to July 4, 1945.

All U.S. military units and naval vessels that earned any of the Philippine engagement stars are entitled to the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.

Certain submarines which maintained physical contact with guerrilla forces during the Japanese occupation of the Philippine Islands.

Online:

https://rollofhonor.org/public/htmldetails.aspx?Cat=foreignaward&EntID=352

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Primary Sources:

1) Various, WWII 78th Anniversary Commemorative Series; Combat Narratives, The Java Sea Campaign, Naval History and Heritage Command, U.S. Navy, Washington Navy Yard, DC. Reprint 2017. Online.

2) Cox, Jeffery R., Rising Sun, Falling Skies, Osprey Publishing, UK, 2015.

4) Winslow, W.G., The Fleet The Gods Forgot: The U.S. Asiatic Fleet In World War II, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland. 1982.

5) Kehn, Donald M. Jr., A Blue Sea of Blood: deciphering the mysterious fate of the USS Edsall, Zenith Press, 2008.

6) Messimer, Dwight R. Pawn of War; The Loss of the USS Langley and the USS Pecos. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland, 1983.

7) Wikipedia page, USS Langley. Retrieved online 19 Feb 2024.

8) Fold3 by Ancestry Navy Muster reports and Change reports

9) Ancestry.com Navy WWII Muster and Change reports

10) Naval History and Heritage Command, USS Langley AV-1, Dictionary of American Fighting Ships (DANFS), Retrieved online 10 Apr 2024.

11) Several newspaper articles.

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Bio #335 compiled on 23 Oct 2018 by Gerry Lawton (G47)

Military Hall of Honor #127376

Find A Grave Memorial Page#56769730

Fold3 Ancestry.com