09 Jun 2005 U.S. Marine 1stSgt Clarence Arthur "CA" Brown was a man who was looked up to with respect and distinction. I first met "CA" when he recruited my older brother Jesse G. Ramirez into the USMC in 1958. 1stSgt Brown lived in our hometown, Bloominton, Texas, while doing recruiting duty in near-by Victoria. I was about ten years old when I met "CA". His wife had recently died and he had temporarily moved his two children to live with his parents there in Bloomington. 1stSgt Brown was a bigger-than-life man. Well over six feet tall, barrel chested, with ramrod-straight posture - the full embodiment of the Marine Corps recruiting pitch of those times: "DO YOU HAVE THE METTLE TO BE A UNITED STATES MARINE?" 1stSgt Brown was a devoted family man. He took the time from his busy recruiting duties to serve as our Catholic Youth Catechism instructor each and every Wednesday night. He was the most patient and kind man! He would allow us our youthful pranks and laugh with us at our off-the-wall comments. We all were in shock at his death, especially us kids who had been his Catechism wards. The spectre of such a big strong man being destroyed in such manner was real hard to internalize for most of us. The week of his funeral is still a blur of shock and pain and especially his parents and children. His military funeral was impressive and gallant. It would be some months before our little community was able to begin to upright itself. 1stSgt Clarence A. Brown was uniquly a man amongst men. He towered above the common. His kind and embracing manner made us kids feel as being in the presence of awesome power and authority yet treated with tender consideration and mirth. I was so impressed by this great man that I unconsiously made him someone I aspired to emulate. Then the following June LCpl Joe Moya, also a young Marine from Bloomington whom I had shared a HS class or two with since he was three years older than I, was killed in action on 2 June 1967. I have never lost sight of nor forsaken 1stSgt Brown's memory or sacrfice in duty to family, comunity and country. Today, as a late-50s former Marine I continue to be grateful for having such a bright and strong example of patriotism in my life and I make every effort to pass these traits on to our younger generation. God Bless the memory of Clarence A. Brown. Semper Fidelis from a grateful American, A. J. Ramirez Sgt (Ret) USMC

Contact Us

© Copyright 1997-2019 www.VirtualWall.org, Ltd ®(TM)

Last update 08/15/2019.