Daniel J. Brown was born February 17, 1916 in Oneonta, NY to Daniel Douglas Brown (1894-1950) from Binghamton, NY and Kathryn Evelyn Carroll (1893-1956) of Hamilton, NY. His parents were married September 1, 1913 in Hamilton, NY. His father recorded being a "Time Keeper" in Binghamton, NY on his marriage license. Later he became a conductor for the railroad in Oneonta, NY.

According the 1920 U.S. Census, his mom and dad, along with his brothers and sisters all lived with his grandparents,  Albert and Addie Brown at 48 Hudson St. in Oneonta until he was in grammar school. His grandfather was the manager of a pool parlor. By 1925, N.Y. State Census records show the family had moved to 5 Chester St. in Oneonta. When Daniel was 14, the 1930 U.S. Census records show he had three siblings, Dorothy M (who was a Marine with a remarkable story of her own), Margaret and younger brother Richard, who was also lost in World War II. 

He attended Oneonta High School. Played football and baseball, was known as “Bud” and graduated in 1934. He married Jane L. Lucaskevge (some members of this family had their last name shortened to Lucas) on July 30, 1938 in Oneonta, NY. By 1940, U.S. Census records show Jane had moved in with her parents on Boylston St. in Oneonta with their first son Daniel who by then was not yet a year old. The 1950 U.S. Census records Jane, now a widow, living with their son, Daniel 10 and daughter Frances 9 at 175 Chestnut St. in Oneonta.

Daniel registered for the draft in October of 1940 and enlisted on July 14, 1942 in Albany, NY. He was 5'-11" tall and weighed 195 pounds.  He had blue eyes and brown hair.   After training, now Technical Sgt. Brown was assigned to the 17th Repair Squadron, 17th Air Depot Group. This unit had been activated at Duncan Field, Texas on January 28, 1942, then moved to Heliopolis Depot Egypt, then to Tripoli, Libya in April 1943. This unit did heavy maintenance work on aircraft.

On March 24, 1944 Technical Sgt. Daniel Brown was killed while serving as a member of a crew assigned to ferry a plane from North Africa to Italy. The letter received by his parents from Brown’s commander read in part,

 “As was very often the case, Sergeant Brown volunteered to act as aerial engineer on this flight. Capt. Donald A. Swenson of Carpio, N.D. was the pilot. (Capt. Swenson’s name was considered when naming what is now Minot AFB in North Dakota. He flew many missions in Europe including being shot down during a bombing run over Lille France on Oct. 9, 1942). The aircraft departed at about 9:45 on the morning of March 24. Our apprehensions were aroused when within a reasonable time we failed to receive a safe arrival report on the aircraft. Information later was received that the aircraft crashed between 12:30 and 1 near the Amalfi-Sorrento in Italy.” 

The letter went on to report, “The cause of the crash has not been determined. An explosion on impact was the immediate cause of death. No one survived the crash. Your husband had many friends in this organization, both among the officers and enlisted men. We too, share deeply in your loss, and will never forget our associates who were killed in this tragic accident. Your husband’s contribution to our eventual victory in this great conflict has been the greatest and saddest it is possible for a soldier to make and you may well be proud, as we are, of the part he has played for he had indeed served his country well.”

Sgt. Brown was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster posthumously and is buried in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Citta Metropolitana de Roma Capitale, Lazio, Italy, Plot F Row 5 Grave 6. There is a plague on his parent’s gravestone in the Oneonta Plains Cemetery memorializing him. It reads, “In Memory of T/Sgt. Daniel J. Brown, U.S.A.F. Born Feb. 17, 1916 Lost over Italy Mar. 24, 1944” His name is also included on a plague hanging outside the main office honoring all the WWII fallen in his local High School in Oneonta, NY.

If you notice anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact Jim Greenberg at nez13820@gmail.com

Sources:

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56306934/daniel-j-brown: accessed 02 March 2023), memorial page for TSgt Daniel J Brown (17 Feb 1916–24 Mar 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56306934, citing Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Nettuno, Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Lazio, Italy; Maintained by Hal G. Brown (contributor 47225725).

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri;WWII Draft Registration Cards for New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group:Records of the Selective Service System, 147

National Archives Record of Enlistment, https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=WR26&tf=F&q=12096436&bc=sl&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=553989, accessed July 4, 2022

New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index 

Oneonta Man Volunteers on Fatal Flight, Sun and Evening Press, Binghamton, NY, June 10, 1944, pg. 3, accessed via Newspapers.com July 4, 2022. 

Oneonta’s Gold Star Registry, City of Oneonta, Oneonta Historical Society, Main St., Oneonta, NY. 

The Echo, Oneonta High School’s Student Newspaper, Oneonta Historical Society, Main St. Oneonta, NY, June 2022. 

Year:1930; Census Place:Oneonta, Otsego, New York; Page:8B; Enumeration District:0027; FHL microfilm:2341370

Supporting Documents: