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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: Last patrol- Delmar Brown Gunner's Mate PT 524
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=599

This news was just passed on to me...another one of old warriors has passed on. Here is part of Mr. Brown's obituary:

BROWN, Delmar Lee, 82, of Richmond , Virginia , passed away on January 25, 2008. He was born on May 14, 1925, in Suffolk , Virginia ,

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II where he saw action in the South Pacific Theater as First Gunner on PT Boat 524, "Bet Me," taking part in numerous battles, including the Battle of Leyete Gulf and the invasion of Tarakan and Borneo .

Following the war, he graduated from Suffolk High School . He attended Elon College on the GI Bill and graduated from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond .

Mr. Brown was retired from the law firm of FloranceGordonBrown, P.C., which he joined in 1953. In 1956, he was made a partner and his name was added to the firm in 1957. Mr. Brown was the last surviving named partner of the firm. He served as a mentor to many of the young lawyers at the firm. He was proud to have been recognized as a member of the Richmond , Virginia , and American Bar Associations for over 50 years.

Mr. Brown was known for his integrity, modesty, and quick wit. He always enjoyed a good laugh, a good joke and a good story, especially a fishing story.

He had many interests, including his river cottage, tennis, boating, fishing, cooking, reading, the stock market, travel, and his vegetable garden. He divided his time among family, work, charitable and civic endeavors. He was a founding board member of Elk Hill Farm, Inc.; and, in 1997, Elk Hill Farm named its new dining hall in his honor. He served as President of the Virginia Junior Chamber of Commerce of Richmond and as Chairman of the Board of United Way of Richmond . He was active in the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, the Richmond Boys Club, the Kiwanis Club of Richmond , the Cerebral Palsy Center and Richmond Cotillion. He also helped start the Big Brothers program in Richmond .

He was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. He was a longtime board member of Franklin Federal Savings and Loan Association and was an honorary board member at the time of his death.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Elk Hill Farm, Inc., P.O. Box 99 , Goochland , Va. 23063 .

Posted By: DD | Posted on: Feb 1, 2008 - 2:08pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Thank you for sharing this information. It seems that Mr. Brown had a very successful and fullfilled life. I hope the family is doing well. I'm in the planning stages of modeling PT-524 and it's nice to hear some information about a member of her crew.
David Waples

Here is PT-524 that I borrowed from another site...

[IMAGE]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n27/David_Waples/PT-524.jpg[/IMAGE]

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Feb 1, 2008 - 9:30pm
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

That's actually a photo from my blog:

http://www.toonsatwar.blogspot.com

I interviewed Walter Kundis a long time ago, as well as 6 or 7 other PT vets for a book I was planning to do. Walter was a Gunner's Mate aboard the 524 boat. He sent me some 150 pictures which I scanned and returned back to him. That image is one of many I have a copy of.

One of these days I'll get my act together and send HQ copies of all the pictures I have scanned and all of the interviews I have conducted.

Did you notice the rocket launchers?

Posted By: DD | Posted on: Feb 1, 2008 - 11:27pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Yes I have. There's a number of things I"ve noticed about this boat. It's been through a minor upgrade. It has rocket launchers, The turret spray shield is around the forward/starboard gun turret instead of on the rear. The radar has been upgraded, and the depression rail behind the 40mm is a field application. It also has a pair of 20mm's on either side of the chart house which I'm confident it had prior to some of these other upgrades. Your blog is what caught my attention and interested me in the boat. I hope you don't mind me grabbing a copy for myself. Thank you for posting it.

Connecting crew and boat makes this even more special. I'm glad you shared the information about Delmar Brown.

I'm highly interested in learning more about the boat and the crew. I know this isn't the best of times to ask but I would be grateful for any photos of the boat you could email as well as information about the crew.

Thanks again for posting the information and the photo. I look forward to hearing from you.

David Waples

David Waples

Posted By: David Waples | Posted on: Feb 2, 2008 - 7:48am
Total Posts: 1679 | Joined: Jan 2, 2007 - 9:55pm

Its' always sad to hear about another shipmate making his last patrol.
My father was in RON 36 (PT 525) and probably had crossed paths with Delmar.

Rest assured he is riding the waves with the spray in his face again.

Posted By: Gary Szot | Posted on: Feb 4, 2008 - 7:30am
Total Posts: 193 | Joined: Feb 12, 2007 - 1:00pm

Hi my name is John Franzese. I had recently found out that my grandfather served in WWII on Pt Boat 524, I actually found a photo of the crew online. I saw that you were making a model of boat 524 I was wondering if you had any photos of the boat or if you had any stories or anything about it. Thanks. If you have anything that can be of help to me can you email me? j.franzese@yahoo.com

Posted By: johnls722 | Posted on: Oct 2, 2013 - 6:38pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

thanks for the post.may he rest in peace along with his former crew membbers.my condolences tyo his family.

earl richmond

Posted By: EARL RICHMOND | Posted on: Oct 3, 2013 - 10:10am
Total Posts: 319 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 1:50pm

May he rest in Peace, I am sure he is already at the gates of heaven just as he was at the gates of Melville, waiting to see the boats for the first time. This time he will ride the boat on a Peaceful mission , bow high, pointing towards the Angles............................

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Oct 4, 2013 - 4:44am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

May he rest in Peace, I am sure he is already at the gates of heaven just as he was at the gates of Melville, waiting to see the boats for the first time. This time he will ride the boat on a Peaceful mission , bow high, pointing towards the Angles............................

Posted By: Frank Andruss | Posted on: Oct 4, 2013 - 4:46am
Total Posts: 3964 | Joined: Feb 9, 2007 - 11:41am

Nicely said Frank. My sentiments as well.

Bridge

Posted By: TheBridge | Posted on: Oct 6, 2013 - 6:14am
Total Posts: 318 | Joined: Nov 22, 2009 - 3:04pm

FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS. . .

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Oct 7, 2013 - 12:10pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

YOU GUYS NOTICED THIS WAS AN ORIGINAL POST FROM FEB 1 2008? HE HAS BEEN RIP FOR 5-1/2 YEARS NOW! BUT I AGREE MAY HE REST IN PEACE. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY PHOTOS OF HIS BOAT PT524 I BELIEVE IS THE REASON THIS OLD THREAD WAS REVIVED. JERRY

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Restoration Crew
Portland OR

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Oct 7, 2013 - 1:09pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm