James Solomon Brown 

February 9, 1912  -  January 28, 2007               

WWII Veteran, awarded The Purple Heart, attended The Baking and Cooking School at Fort Meade, 47 years as server, Head Cook and Dietician at St. Mary's Female Seminary/St. Mary's College

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James Solomon Brown was born on February 9, 1912 in Drayden, Maryland. His parents, Arthur and Dora Travers Brown, had nine children and James was the fifth. He attended the one-room Drayden School through the fifth grade. At age fourteen, he began waiting tables at St. Mary’s Female Seminary under President Adele Franz. Mr. Brown was drafted into the United States Army in 1942 and served in War World II. He received The Purple Heart for a head injury sustained while serving as an engineer in Italy. He was honorably discharged from the military services in 1945. He and his late wife Lillian of 50 years lived in Valley Lee, Maryland on Happyland Road with their eight children.

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After serving in Italy in World War II, Mr. Brown attended The Baking and Cooking School at Fort Meade, Virginia.  He also continued to work for St. Mary’s Female Seminary serving food and working in the kitchen.  Upon completion of his baking and cooking school, President Franz promoted him to Dietician and Head Cook.  He worked there for 47 years.

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In this interview on July 27, 2005 with Alma Jordon, Mr. Brown talks about his war experience in Italy describing in vivid terms how horrible it was and how he acted dead among fellow dead soldiers to avoid being discovered by the Germans. He managed to escape at night back to Allied lines. This interview has been transcribed and logged.  It is available on UCAC’s YouTube Channel @UCAC1995.

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UCAC would appreciate any photographs of James Solomon Brown or an additional information that can be added to his story.