CHAPIN – A graveside service for Major Perry Walker Brown, Sr., US AF (Ret.), 91, will be held 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 in Union United Methodist Church Cemetery. Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, is assisting the family.
Perry passed away Saturday, August 1, 2020. He was born in Asheville, NC and attended the local elementary, junior and senior high schools and completed one year at Asheville Biltmore Junior College which is now University of North Carolina, Asheville. As a young man he worked at the Asheville airport where his love of flying began.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force in February 1951, was sworn in to the military in Charlotte, NC and then assigned to basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas with a follow on to Shepard AFB, Texas. Completing basic training he was then sent to Airborne Electronics School at Keesler AFB, MS. Upon graduating from Electronics school he was chosen as an instructor in Airborne Electronics. His next assignment, as a Sergeant, was to James Conley AFB in Waco Texas where he continued his career as a Technician for airborne gun laying equipment on fighter aircraft.
In 1953 he was accepted for Officer Candidate School at Lackland AFB. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in Dec 1953 and assigned to Primary Pilot training at Bartow AFB, FL, where he flew the PA 18 and AT-6 aircraft. While at Basic Training at Goodfellow AFB, TX he was flying T-28’s and B-25’s. For Advanced Training he was sent to Randolph AFB, San Antonio, TX where he flew the C-119. When pilot training was complete he was assigned to Donaldson AFB, SC as a copilot on the C-124 “Globemaster.”
Upon his arrival at Donaldson and the 15th Troop Carrier Squadron Captain Donald Smith began preparing Perry for his first mission, flying to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to fly missions in support of the Defense Early Warning Line (DEW) where they landed on ice covered runways. Also, while at Donaldson, he was fortunate to be assigned to Warner Brothers Pictures to transport a sister aircraft of the Spirit of Saint Louis from California to Paris France. The replica aircraft was used in the production of the movie Spirit of Saint Louis, starring Jimmy Stewart.
Donaldson AFB was known as the “Airlift Capital of the World.” The mission was a world wide effort. Taking Perry to Antarctica, support missions for earthquake relief in South America, Embassy support missions and “trash hauling” to many countries and every continent. He did a 6-month support mission with the 54th Troop Carrier Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage Alaska, supporting the DEW line.
Perry was already an Aircraft Commander and Instructor pilot in the C-124 when the Air Force sent him to the University of Southern California for a course in Aviation Safety. After graduation he became the 63rd Military Airlift Wings flight safety officer. Donaldson was closed in 1963 and the wing was assigned to Hunter AFB in Savannah, Georgia.
While at Hunter the 63rd Wings main missions were support of missile tracking stations in the Caribbean and the South Atlantic, the Army’s 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, numerous missions throughout the world and six month rotational missions to Rhein Main AFB in Frankfurt Germany, satisfying airlift missions throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.
Hunter AFB was closed as an AFB in 1967. Perry was transferred to the 22nd Air Force Headquarters at Travis AFB in California as a Flight Safety Officer. He was also checked out as Aircraft Commander in the Lockeed C-141, “Starlifter.” He flew numerous missions to Vietnam carrying supplies and returning with HR’s as precious cargo. One of his last trips before retiring was an around the world Embassy support missions. Perry retired from the military as a Major in January 1971. Having flown over 6000 hours in the C-124 and over 1500 in the C-141.
When Major Brown retired he took his family to Columbia, SC. Because of his military experience he was able to begin his new career with the Governor’s office. He began work under his former commander at Donaldson, General Roland Barnick, working with the State Highway Safety Program. He was later appointed by Governor Carroll Campbell to be the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. Perry had a great relationship with the SC Highway Patrol. He was involved in many safety initiatives including “make it click” for seatbelt usage, ad campaign “Highways or Dieways” and having headlights on when it is raining. Perry retired from the State having served 23 exemplary years.
For his personal life, Perry married Janie Evelyn Oates, a true farmer’s daughter from Easley, SC. Janie passed away at age 41 in 1977 from breast cancer. They had four children. Debbie lives in Culpeper, VA where she has developed one of the most amazing dog kennels in the world. Perry Jr. resides in Madison, VA. He also began his profession as an AF pilot and has now been with American Airlines for 32 years, currently working as an instructor and evaluator pilot on the Boeing 737-800. Anne, stayed near Columbia, she works at Prisma Health Parkridge Hospital as an assistant nurse manager, emergency department. Shari McKissick also remained close to home and worked as a bookkeeper/office manager until the birth of her second child, then became a full time mother and later caregiver for her father.
Perry remarried in 1985 to Gaye Robinson who brought two boys to the family. He previously attended Union United Methodist Church in Irmo, SC where he will be buried. Gaye and Perry transferred to Chapin United Methodist Church which was closer to their home.
Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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