World War I
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on 28 May 1918 and served with the 20th Company, 5th Marines in France during World War I, for which he holds two battle clasps and the Purple Heart Medal.
On 8 July 1920, Brown was discharged from the Marine Corps to accept an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, however he left the Academy in September 1922, and re-enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was commissioned a second lieutenant from the ranks on 19 February 1925.
In July 1925, after serving as a company officer at the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, he entered the Officers Basic School at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia. On completing Basic School, he was ordered to the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, where he rejoined the 20th Company, 5th Marines, with which he had served in World War I. That company was among those chosen to represent the Marine Corps at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1926 until it was called out to guard the mails during an outbreak of robberies.
With the 5th Marines, Brown sailed for Nicaragua in February 1927. He fought in several engagements against rebel bandits in that country, and was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for an action near Buena Vista on 19 January 1928.
He returned from Nicaragua in May 1929, and was assigned to the Sea School at the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. That October he joined the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3), serving on that ship until June 1931. He then served at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California, until May 1933, when he sailed for duty at the Marine Barracks, Guam.
Returning from Guam in July 1935, Brown served for two months as executive officer of the rifle range detachment at Quantico before entering the Base Defense Weapons Course in the Marine Corps Schools there. After graduating, he commanded an artillery battery of the 1st Marine Brigade at Quantico until the Fall of 1936, when he was ordered to the Marine Corps Base, San Diego.
At San Diego, Brown commanded a 155mm battery with the 2nd Marine Brigade until February 1938, when he was ordered to the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island. There, he was Assistant Acting Quartermaster and member of the Naval Retiring Board until June 1939, when he took command of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38).
Read more about this topic: Wilburt S. Brown, Biography
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