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known to many as "Brownie" or "Wally") born Oct. 22, 1924, in Schuylkill Haven, Pa., to James and Rebecca Brown, died at home, peacefully, with family at his side on Monday, April 30, 2012.
Graduated from high school in 1942 and received his AA Degree from Ventura Community College in 1970. He had been a resident of Camarillo since 1964. Brownie enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a teenager in 1942 serving during World War II as a radio operator aboard the C-46 Commando, flying 106 round-trip missions over "The Hump." This route was flown out of India and Burma over the Himalayas into China.
He later served in the United States Air Force and retired from active duty as a Senior Master Sergeant in 1964 after 22 years in uniform. His last duty station was Oxnard Air Force Base, now Camarillo Airport. He later worked at 3M Corp., in Camarillo, and in civil service for the Navy at Port Hueneme where he retired in 1984.
His hobbies included ham radio (originally WB6KKN then AE6EQ), and from 1968 to 1990 he was an enthusiastic member of the Oxnard Chapter of SPEBSQSA, singing bass although he could sing all parts well. He was an avid bowler and was a league bowler at Harley's Bowl and Conejo Bowl.
After retirement he enrolled in art classes at Ventura College and became a proficient sketch artist and potter. In 2000, he became a member of the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) serving as a docent at their Camarillo Airport museum location. His favorite plane at the museum is one of his old C-46 Commandos, "The China Doll."
He will be dearly missed by his friends and family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Billie; their children, Buddy Carter (Laurie), Patricia Bryant, Peggy Sveiven (Scott), Jeannie Carter-Johnson (Erik), Jonathan Brown (Danielle); his grandchildren, Michele Bryant, Major Jayme Carter, USAF (Talia), Adam Bryant, Jeffrey Sveiven (Jacinta), Johnny Sveiven, Sean Carter, Christopher Johnson, Michael Carter, Peggy Sue Johnson, Sarah Irani, Sarah Brown, Mason Brown; his great-grandchildren, Autumn Schlick, Ryhan Feliciano; his brother, David Brown (Jeanie) of Pennsylvania; and his sisters, Lois Dresen of Iowa and Kathryn Burton of Ohio.
A memorial of his life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, with a fly-by at about noon at the CAF WWII Aviation Museum (Camarillo Airport), 445 Aviation Drive (corner of Eubanks Street).
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing, 805-482-0064.
radio operator aboard the C-46 Commando, flying 106 round-trip missions over "The Hump." This route was flown out of India and Burma over the Himalayas into China.
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C-46 Commando Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was an American transport aircraft originally designed for commercial use although it was primarily used during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces; the Navy/Marine Corps version was known as the R5C. Also known to the men who flew them as "The Whale," or even more irreverently as the "Curtiss Calamity," [2] the C-46 served a similar role as its counterpart, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, but was not quite as famous or as extensively produced.
Postwar, C-46s were briefly used in their original role as passenger airliners, but the glut of surplus C-47s dominated the marketplace with the C-46 soon relegated to a secondary status. However, the C-46 was adopted as a rugged cargo aircraft for northern and remote locations with its service life extended into the 21st Century.
Model Curtiss-Wright C-46A Commando Length 76.44 ft | 23.30 m Width 78.54 ft | 23.94 m Height 21.75 ft | 6.63 m Engine(s) 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-51 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial engines generating 2,000hp of thrust each. Empty Weight 30,001 lbs | 13,608 kg MTOW 55,997 lbs | 25,400 kg Max Speed 269 mph | 433 km/h | 234 kts Max Range 1,199 miles | 1,930 km Ceiling 27,559 ft | 8,400 m | 5.2 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 0 Armament None. Accommodations 4 Operators the United States of America
