Entering high school, he attended the Czechoslovak Air Force Academy, a move which began his career in aviation.

[3] On 10 March 1953, Lt. Šrámek (5th Fighter Regiment, 2nd Squadron, Plzeň-Líně air base) had been flying close to the town of Domažlice in the west of Bohemia.

[2][5] His unit was assigned to patrol the edge of Czechoslovak airspace, close to the frontier with West Germany.

[5] Šrámek, who was flying a MiG-15, encountered two American F-84 Thunderjet planes above Merklín, a small village within Czechoslovak territory.

[5][4] Brown ejected from the aircraft, which crash-landed in German territory, near Falkenstein, Bavaria, approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) from the border, and survived.