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Our welcome to I-1, (Inquisition One to the Corps) was abrupt and true to its legend. It was late August 1963 and we had just marched into what was then “New South Barracks.” A group of upperclassmen swooped down upon us and seemed to delight in our apprehensive change from new cadet to plebe. We found ourselves swamped, but one question stood out as an upper class favorite. Even the upperclassmen seemed to take notice to answers to this question: “Where are you from?” Out of the abrasive noise of plebe barking came the answer “Riddle, OR!”</p>
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My own ears, despite the barrage of questions I was fumbling with, heard those words. It is a small community nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains near Interstate 5, not far from my hometown. I said to myself, “Wow, another person from the Great Pacific Northwest! I have to find him.” Find him I did.</p>
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<em>John Patrick Brown</em>, friend and classmate, was born at Tyndall Air Field, FL, the son of Donald and Elizabeth Brown. Don Brown was a warrant officer in the U.S. Air Corps. After the war, with the help of the G.I. Bill, he earned a degree in secondary education. Not long after that Don, Bette, and their children, John and Beryl, settled in Riddle, where John’s second sister, Donnale, was born.</p>
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John was a friendly and intelligent child and often the combination would get him into trouble. Bette Brown related that at three years old he spoke in full sentences, fully capable of asking adults embarrassing questions. He loved to talk, laugh, and ask questions. He was a happy child, but there was a serious side to John as well—one that his sister Beryl confirmed. He had little tolerance for people who were not serious about their schoolwork. If they did not work, he was the first to point out that they had failed to meet the minimum standard. John was a taskmaster.</p>
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His intelligence, love for people, and independent attitude marked him as a leader. His high school classmates noted this and elected him to various student body offices. He lettered in track and field four years and was the captain of the team as a senior, setting school records in the 100 and 200-yard dashes. His yearbook reveals that he did not play football until his senior year, but his tenacity and willingness to be all he could be was noted by the football coaches of the region. He was selected “Honorable Mention All-Conference.” Although athletics were important to him, he found the classroom rewarding and loved a good argument. His ultimate ambition was to be a lawyer. Yet, he felt a higher calling, one that would lead him to apply for an appointment to USMA. The qualities his classmates, teachers, and adults from Riddle saw in him were reflected in his application and in their recommendations. Graduating from high school as valedictorian, John entered West Point on 1 Jul 1963.</p>
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John would enter Inquisition One with the same fervor that he displayed in high school. His early discipline, intelligence, and ability to focus allowed him to be successful in the classroom from the beginning. Others were not as focused and fell into trouble, but John had an uncanny way of being there for those who needed help. His classmates found a helping hand and a concerned mind. His athletic ability scored points for 1-1 on the track, too.</p>
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Dave Blanchard, I-1/F-3, said, “Building on the solid foundation provided by his loving family in Riddle and the lessons learned as a plebe and yearling in I-1, John brought a set of values and standards to Company D-1 that kept all those he touched on their toes for the next two years. Reflecting the proud traditions of his father, John was studious and intent on a quiet study environment so that all cadets in the stairwell might succeed academically. Independent, intelligent, and articulate, John was anything but a passive follower. He was a man of his own who argued his point fervently until victory had been declared. There was no doubt about his independence, but he was also a true gentleman. John was loved and admired by all the D-1 Dogs. We knew John as a generous, friendly, and happy colleague who was always there for his friends.”</p>
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John took great depth of character with him when he departed in June 1967 bound for a career as an infantryman. He became a frequent guest in my parents’ home while stationed at Ft. Benning. His positive outlook, good upbringing, and natural charm quickly won the hearts of my mother and father. They cherished John’s memory all of their remaining days.</p>
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His well-established qualities of adaptability and dogged determination propelled him through Ranger and Airborne schools and on to the 82d Airborne Division in January 1968. Growing bored with garrison life, John shipped out to the 101st Airborne Division in Camp Eagle in the Republic of Vietnam. In May 1968, John Patrick Brown, a gallant and daring warrior, left the comforts of a peaceful land to give his last full measure of devotion in defiance of a North Vietnamese force. An officer of the highest principles, a warrior with great courage, a distinguished gentleman, a warm and loving friend, John’s spirit visits us often even after 30 years. His life, though tragically brief, serves as a high standard against which we continue to measure our progress as officers, gendemen, and patriots of this great land.</p>
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<em>Dave Blanchard ’67 and Earl Hughes ’67</em></p>