He entered the College of Charleston, but left the following year, after he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York.

[6][2][3][4] Brown served on the Mexican border at Galveston until April 1914, when he sailed with his regiment to Veracruz, Mexico, for occupation duty following a United States landing.

He remained with that outfit until November that year, when he was sent to Camp Greene, North Carolina, for service as adjutant of the 8th Brigade, 4th Division, under Brigadier General Samuel W.

He took part in the combats in the Vosges Mountains, Argonne Forest and Marbache sector and following the Armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918, he was attached to the headquarters of the 92nd Division under Brigadier General James B.

[3] He spent four years in this capacity and received a permanent rank of major in April 1923, when he was appointed Professor of Military Science and Tactics at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.

Brown graduated in June 1925 and served at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, for some time, before embarked for Hawaii for staff duties with the Hawaiian Department, then commanded by Major General Edward Mann Lewis.

[1][3][4] Brown returned to Washington in April 1940 and assumed duty as Assistant to Chief of Budget & Legislative Planning Board, War Department General Staff.

While in this capacity, Brown was responsible for the preparation of requests for funds and legislation for Congress and was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general in August 1941.

Brown took part in the amphibious training at the Salinas River in California and following a promotion to the temporary rank of major general in May 1942, he relieved White in command of the 7th Division.

The progress of his men was slow due to many machine gun nests and sniper fire and Brown requested additional naval bombardment support and more reinforcements.

[8][5] Upon his arrival stateside, Brown was given non-combat duty as Commanding general, Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Wheeler, Georgia.

[1][2][3][4][5] Brown led the division during the clearing of the Ruhr Pocket and then drove the Germans from the Lower Bavaria, Austria, and ultimately crossed the Czechoslovakian border on May 1, 1945.

[6][3][10] Brown spent several weeks on occupation duty in southeast Lower Bavaria, where his division was responsible for resettlement of displaced persons, supplying of German civilians with food, medical care and maintaining of civil order.

[6][2][3]Upon his return stateside in September 1948, Brown was appointed Commanding general, Northern Military District of Sixth U.S. Army with headquarters at Vancouver Barracks, Washington.

During the same period, he demanded that his case of relieving at Attu in April 1943 be reviewed and after long and acrimonious series of hearings, Brown was formally cleared of any misconduct in 1949.