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Congressional Medal of Honor
African Americans in the United States Coast Guard
First African American Flag Officer in U.S. Coast Guard History
Many do not know that African Americans have been active in the Coast Guard for many years. They too had to struggle just like all the other branches in the military. A important figure for blacks in the Coast Guard is Rear Admiral Erroll M. Brown, USCG.
Brown, 47, is the first African American to be selected for flag rank in the United States Coast Guards 208-year history. Born in Oklawaha, Fla., he grew up in St. Petersburg and graduated in 1968 from Dixie Hollins High School.
He was a 1972 graduate of the U. S. Coast Guard Academy, and he majored in Marine Engineering. He then went to the University of Michigan and earned a masters degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and a second masters in Industrial and Operations Engineering. A Masters of Business Administration degree was awarded to Rear Admiral Brown in 1986 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 1994, he graduated from the Naval War College with a masters degree in National Security and Strategic Studies.
Rear Admiral Brown has served as Damage Control Assistant and Assistant Engineer Officer aboard the Coast Guard Icebreaker BURTON ISLAND (WAGB-283), and Maintenance Type Deck Officer, Eleventh Coast Guard District, Naval Engineering Branch. At Coast Guard Headquarters, he served in the Small Boat Branch as the supervisor for two resident inspection officers, overseeing their small boat construction projects. Rear Admiral Brown was assigned as Engineer Officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter JARVIS (WHEC-725), was an instructor in the Marine Engineering Department at the U. S. Coast Guard Academy, and served as Executive Officer aboard Coast Guard Cutter RUSH (WHEC-723). A Program Reviewer in the Office of the Chief of Staff, Programs Division in Coast Guard Headquarters, he has also served as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of Transportation. Rear Admiral Brown was assigned as Chief, Budget Division, Office of the Chief of Staff in Coast Guard Headquarters. Most recently, he was Commanding Officer, USCG Integrated Support Command, Portsmouth, VA. He is currently Commander, Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic, Norfolk, VA.
Admiral Brown has been in countless intellectual studies and has done a great service to the military. The list is too long to count what he has done.
Admiral Brown has the following awards: Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Secretary's Award for Meritorious Achievement, U. S. Coast Guard Commendation Medal (2 Awards), Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Special Operations Ribbon (3 awards), Bicentennial Unit Commendation Ribbon, Antarctica Service Medal, Arctic Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Expert Rifleman Medal and the Expert Pistol Shot Medal.
He also is married to the former Monica Hayes of Groton, CT, and they have two children; Elise-Estee and Aaron.
History of African Americans in the United States Coast Guard
Coast Guard Academy's First African American Graduate Honored
Douglas Munro, The Only U.S. Coast Guardsman To Receive The Congressional Medal of Honor
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