In a gripping story of war and courage, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, the U.S. Navy’s first black pilot, died when his plane’s fuel line took a bullet. It was December 4, 1950. His partner, a white pilot named Thomas Hudner, crash-landed his own plane to try and save his wingman. His efforts were lost. Brown told his friend to deliver a message of love to his wife Daisy and he perished with his Corsair plane in North Korea.
Jesse Leroy Brown was born in Hattiesburg, MS. At the age of six when he attended his first air show, Brown knew he wanted to be a pilot. After attending Naval training in Ohio State University, Brown’s photo was featured in the 1948 issue of Life Magazine as the first black pilot in the U.S. Navy. While Brown had experienced racial prejudice during training, he was accepted among most of his fellow officers. While attending flight school, Brown married his love, Daisy, which was forbidden for the pilots during training. They kept their marriage a secret.
Little Known Black History Fact: Ensign Jesse L. Brown was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
