Robert Joseph Brown was born on 4 August 1922, in Marion, Ohio. His parents are William S. & Opal M. Brown. Robert was employed at the Huber Manufacturing Company, prior to enlisting into the United States Naval Reserves.
Robert J. Brown attained the rank of Ship’s Cook First Class (SC1c). He served aboard the Submarine U. S. S. Swordfish (SS-193). The Swordfish departed Pearl Harbor on 22 December 1944, to patrol the Okinawa area. It stopped at Midway Island for fuel on 26 December 1944. The last communications from the Swordfish was on 3 January 1945. The Swordfish was expected to arrive in Saipan on or about 29 January 1945. The Swordfish did not arrive and no further communication was received. She was thought to have been in the area that was mined and also had Japanese depth charges being detonated. The Swordfish crew was reported as Missing in Action, on 29 January 1945.
SWORDFISH, under Cdr. K. E. Montross, left Pearl Harbor on 22 December 1944, to carry on her thirteenth patrol in the vicinity of Nansei Shoto. She topped off with fuel at Midway on 26 December and left that day for her area. In addition to her regular patrol, SWORDFISH was to conduct photographic reconnaissance of Okinawa, for preparation of the Okinawa Campaign.
Compiled by Paul W. Wittmer and Charles R. Hinman, originally from: U.S. Submarine Losses World War II, NAVPERS 15,784, 1949 ISSUE
On 2 January, SWORDFISH was ordered to delay carrying out her assigned tasks in order to keep her clear of the Nansei Shoto area until completion of carrier based air strikes, which were scheduled. She was directed to patrol the general vicinity of 30° 00’N, 132° 00’E until further orders were received. In the last communication received from SWORDFISH, she acknowledged receipt of these orders on 3 January.
On 9 January 1945, SWORDFISH was directed to proceed to the vicinity of Okinawa to carry out her special mission. It was estimated that the task would not take more than seven days after arrival on station, which she should have reached on 11 January. Upon completion of her mission, SWORDFISH was to proceed to Saipan, or to Midway if she was unable to transmit by radio. Since neither place had seen her by 15 February, and repeated attempts to raise her by radio had failed, she was reported as presumed lost on that date.
In the report of her loss, mention was made that KETE, which at the time was patrolling the vicinity of Okinawa, reported that on the morning of 12 January she contacted a submarine by radar. It was believed that contact was with SWORDFISH since it was in 27° 00’N, 128° 40’E. Four hours later KETE heard heavy depth charging from this area and it was believed that this attack might have been the cause of SWORDFISH’s loss.
SC1c Robert J. Brown was MIA – presumed dead with crew, near Yaku Island, off Kyushu, Japan. The official date of death for the crew is 12 January 1945.
SC1c Robert J. Brown is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park, in Marion, Ohio; on the west wall of the Marion County Courthouse; and on the World War II Veterans Memorial Wall, at the Marion Cemetery.
There is also a Memorial in St. Paul, Minnesota, honoring the crew of the U. S. S. Swordfish (SS-193). It has a plaque with the names of the crew members lost at sea. Robert J. Brown’s name is among those brave men listed.
Memorial to Swordfish (SS-193) at St. Paul, Minnesota, dedicated in January 1967. It features a torpedo and has plaques on either side, one in memory of Swordfish crewmen lost with their submarine off Okinawa, in January 1945. The other plaque memorializes the fifty-one other U.S. Navy submarines lost during World War II. The memorial was financed and built by the City Council, Minnesota Building Tradesmen and the Minnesota Viking Squadron of the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II.
The plaque on the “Swordfish Memorial” reads:
“THE U.S. SUBMARINE VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II, MINNESOTA VIKING SQUADRON
PROUDLY DEDICATES THIS MEMORIAL TO THE VALIANT MEN OF THE
U.S.S. SWORDFISH SS193
SUNK BY ENEMY ACTION ON HER 13TH WAR PATROL ON JANUARY 12, 1945
AFTER SINKING 12 ENEMY SHIPS FOR A TOTAL OF 47,926 TONS
COMMANDER K. E. MONTROSS, COMMANDING OFFICER
CREW OF THE U.S.S. SWORDFISH – (SS-193)
(Crews names listed on the memorial plaque)
Honoring Marion Ohio Veterans 