Herbert Brown

Herbert C. Brown

Jun. 22, 1919 – Jan. 7, 2014

Passed away peacefully in Moraga on January 7. The son of Henry and Victoria Brown, Herb was born and raised in Berkeley. In 1939 he traveled to Hawaii to work and play in the sun. In early 1941 Herb headed to Wake Island to join a joint venture of large American Contractors building U.S. Military defense facilities. When war broke out on December 7, 1941, Herb and other civilian employees on the island worked side by side with the U.S. Marines to hold off the large invasion force for 16 days. He then spent the next 44 1/2 months as a POW interned in various camps in China and Japan. He was finally liberated on Sept. 6, 1945 several days after the war ended.

After returning to the States and recovering from his wounds Herb met and courted Barbara Campbell of Berkeley. They were married in 1947 on the island of Guam where Herb was employed on a construction contract. In 1954 he started a 30 year career with Connell Bros. Co. Ltd. headquartered in San Francisco with product distribution operations throughout Asia where he served as the Manager of offices in South Korea, Okinawa, Thailand and Japan. Herb and Barbara transferred back to San Francisco in 1977. He retired as a Vice President of Connell in 1984.

In retirement Herb and Barbara loved to spend time at their second home at Silverado in Napa playing golf and entertaining friends. Barbara, the love of his life, passed away in 2000. Shortly thereafter Herb moved from Rossmoor to Aegis Assisted Living in Moraga where he resided until his passing.

Herb is survived by a nephew, three nieces and many close and dear friends. His ashes have been spread in the Pacific Ocean. Donations in Herb's memory can be made to: American Ex-Prisoners of War, 3201 E. Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40, Arlington, Texas 76010-5396.