Early life

Ned Erskine Browning was born 26 August 1921 at the little town of Millerville, Clay County, Alabama to John Daniel Browning and Dora Lowery Browning. He was one of six brothers.

Ned attended school at Clay County High School in Ashland, Alabama and was an outstanding football player. He also played basketball.

1931, Neds Dad, J D Browning of Millerville is carrier on Rural Route number One.

8 Dec 1938 Football Banquet at the Vocational building. Ned was there.

26 Jan 1939 Ashland wins over Oxford, basketball. Ned plays Forward. Ned and George Elliott tied for high score honors, each getting a total of 9 points.

21 Sep 1939

CCHS football. 26 candidates are scrapping and fighting for position. Backfield candidates are Ned Browning, Robert Knight and Billy Saxon, Glenn Walker, Pete Thompson, Coolidge Sims, Guy Birchfield and Leverette Pace.

12 Oct 1939

Ashland wins over Ranburne. Ned Browning was an outstanding player at halfback.

1 Feb 1940

Ned's brother Kiffin Browning who has been working near Mobile the past year, visited their Parents, then went to Pulaski Tennessee where he is working with the TVA.

26 Sep 1940

Ned played LH.

10 Jul 1941. Jamie Browning of Camp Blanding, Florida and Ned of Bham, visited their parents.

31 Jul 1941. Ned of Bham was at home over the weekend.

8 May 1941, last Friday evening CCHS held their graduation exercises in the auditorium at 8 pm. Diplomas were awarded by Supt Mr C E Spearman. Ned Browning received his.

22 Jan 1942 Ned is working for White Furniture. F M White is managing it while his son the owner, Lt Oliver F White is away in the U S Army. Ned is a salesman.

Ned registers for the Draft.

T-477 Ned Erskine Browning t 10557. Ashland, Clay, Alabama Box 283

No telephone, age 20, POB Millerville. DOB August 26, 1921 Alabama.

Those who know his address (Father) J D Browning Jr. Ashland, Al Box 283

Employer F M White Ashland, Alabama. signed Ned Erskine Browning.

Neds Registrar Report info Height 5 ft 11 in, 155 lbs. Light complexion, Blue Eyes, Blonde Hair. Registered on 14 Feb 1942 with Local Board 1.

25 Jun 1942

Local Young Men are Now in the U S Navy. Great Lakes, Ill., June 21.. Brother Leslie E Browning 17 years old who recently enlisted in the US Navy and is going through recruit training.

31 Oct 1942 Ned enlists in the Navy at Birmingham, Alabama.

19 Nov 1942

Brownings Are Doing Their Part In Service. The sons of Mr and Mrs Dan Browning of Ashland. The Brownings have six sons, five of whom have already volunteered and are now in the service. Three of the Browning boys are in the Navy; Harold and Edwin at Great Lakes, Il, while Ned is located in San Diego, California. Lt. Kiffin Browning is with the Cavalry at Ft. Mead, S.D.; Cadet Jamie Browning is in the Air Corps at Randolph Field at San Antonio, Texas. These fine young men have all done their part in athletics in the High Schools at Millerville and Ashland, being outstanding players in both basketball and football. Mr. Browning is also in the service of Uncle Sam, being Rural Letter Carrier on Route 3, Ashland. The Brownings are doing their bit.

13 Dec 1942 Bham News.

Mrs J D Browning and five sons pictured in service, Ned, Apprentice seaman, stationed at San Diego, Harold, apprentice seaman stationed at Great Lakes, Il; Edwin , seaman second class stationed at Great Lakes, Il; Jamie Browning, second Lieutenant in the Air Forces at Randolph Field, Tx., and Kiffin Browning, second lieutenant in the cavalry at Ft. Meade, South Dakota.

Neds Records:

Browning, Ned Erskine SN 605 25 41

USNR Rec 10 30 43 Sub Div 41 (Relief Crew)

USNR Rec 10 30 43 USNH Pearl Harbor T. H. For treatment

31st day of October 1943 USS Submarine Division Twenty-Two Relief Crew

Browning, Ned Erskine SN 605 25 41 FLC V6 Enlisted 31st Oct 1942 at Birmingham, Al

On 30th November 1943 Relief Crew reports, changes to USS Snapper.

Neds name appears. He is Flc.

Submarine Division Forty-Five Relief Crew (Ex. SubDiv 22)

USNR Rec 11-19-43 Rec. this date from USNH P.H. T.H.

31 Dec 1943

Muster Roll of the Crew of the U S Submarine Division Forty-Five Relief Crew

Browning, Ned Erskine Service Number 605 25 41 Flc,V-6 date of enlistment 31 Oct 1942

Date first received on board 9 Nov 1943

On 31 Jan 1944 Muster Roll Submarine Division 45 Relief Crew, Snapper (FLAG).

Neds name appears. He is Flc V6.

Ned promoted.

USNR CR 1 January CR from Flc V6, to Momm3c V6 USNR, Auth: BuPers Cir, Ltr, No. 205-43

25 Dec 1944

Report of changes of U S S Snook (SS 379)

Browning, Ned Erskine SN 605 25 41 MoMM3c V6

USNR Rec 4 Dec Rec from Submarine Division 44 for duty.

USS Snook Memorial with names and rates, lost in WWII April 1945

9 Sep 1945 Bham News

The Navy Department has notified Mr. and Mrs. John Daniel Browning, Jr., of Ashland, that their son, Ned Erskine Browning is missing in action. He is a motor machinist's mate third class on sea duty with the Navy.

16 May 1946 The Ashland Progress

Ned Browning's Death is confirmed

7 May 1946 Mr and Mrs John Daniel Browning Jr, Ashland, Alabama.

My dear Mr. and Mrs. Browning:

Your son, Ned Erskine Browning, Motor Machinist's Mate third class, USNR, had been carried on the official records of the Navy Department in the status of missing in action as of 5 May 1945. He was serving aboard the USS Snook when that submarine failed to return from patrol operations in the South China Sea. On 25 March 1945, the Snook departed from Guam Island, The Marianas, to conduct a war patrol in the South China Sea, including Luzon Strait, the south coast of China and the east coast of Hainan Island. The submarine returned to Guam on 37 March 1945 for emergency repairs and again departed for the patrol area on 38 March 1945. The Snook communicated with another submarine on 8 April 1945, at which time she gave her position within the patrol area. No further communication was received from the Snook and she failed to return to Saipan Island, The Marianas on or about 5 May 1945, in accordance with her schedule. To date, No further information has been received by the Navy Department concerning the fate of the submarine or her crew. In View of the strong probability that the submarine sank during action in enemy - controlled waters, and that you son lost his life as a result thereof, because no official or unconfirmed reports have been received that he survived, because his name has not appeared on any lists or reports of personnel liberated from Japanese prisoner of war camps, and in view of the length of time that has elapsed since he was reported to be missing in action, I am reluctantly forced to the conclusion that your son is deceased. I know what little solace the formal and written word can be to help meet the burden of your loss, but in spite of that knowledge, I cannot refrain from saying very simply, that I am sorry. It is hoped that you may find comfort in the thought that your son gave his life for his country, upholding the highest traditions of the Navy.

Memorial in Ashland, Alabama along with his brother Leslie Edwin Browning, Ned Erskine Browning, Alabama, MoMM3c Uss Snook WWII Aug 26, 1921-May 5, 1945 MIA South China Sea.

Casualties World War Two

Alabama, p17

Browning, Ned Erskine, Motor Machinist's Mate 3c, USNR, Parents, Mr. and Mrs John Daniel Browning, Jr., Ashland.

Purple Heart awarded.

Patch of the USS Snook, Girl in Red on Torpedo, captioned Why, Daddy..

Sad information

The USS Snook was the submarine that sank the Arisan Maru on Oct 24, 1944 which held 1781 US and Allied POWs. Only 9 survived. This was one of the major tragedies and largest losses of life on any single ship in WWII. More Americans died on this ship than the USS Arizona.

The Japanese did not mark the ship in any way to indicate she was carrying POWs so there was no way for the Snook to know that she was anything but a target.

The Snook herself was lost at a later date in another tragedy of war.

References:

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551955857

Football

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551931633

Leslie in the Navy

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551929693

Ned in Bham

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551962337

Ned football

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551955857

Ned football

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551958757

Ned halfback

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551929582

Jamie and Ned

https://www.newspapers.com/image/552007123

Ned on second team

https://www.newspapers.com/image/552007261

Ned awarded Letter

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551929214

Ned Diplomas awarded

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551958510

Ned football

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551930605

Ned working for White Furniture

https://www.newspapers.com/image/551932913

Brownings doing their part in service

https://www.newspapers.com/image/573972667

Mother and 5 sons in service

https://www.newspapers.com/image/573519106

Ned missing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Snook_(SS-279)

https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3025.html

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/u/united-states-submarine-losses/snook-ss-279.html

https://submarinememorial.org/lostboatsfinished/ss279snook.html

https://oneternalpatrol.com/uss-snook-279.htm

https://oneternalpatrol.com/browning-n-e.htm

https://oneternalpatrol.com/uss-snook-279-loss.html

https://ussnautilus.org/the-loss-of-uss-snook-ss-279/

https://vgregorini.wixsite.com/snook279/the-crew

https://vgregorini.wixsite.com/snook279/uncle-vic

https://vgregorini.wixsite.com/snook279/browning-ned

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/162340-uss-snook-ss-279-ltjg-andrew-w-welch-jr-kia-group/

http://aimmuseum.org/uss-snook-memorial/

https://www.findagrave.com/virtual-cemetery/450026

USS Snook

uboat.net

Snook (SS-279) of the US Navy - American Submarine of the Gato class - Allied Warships of WWII

8-10 minutes

Allied Warships

Submarine of the Gato class

USS Snook being launched 15 August 1942.

Navy The US Navy

Type Submarine

Class Gato

Pennant 279

Built by Portsmouth Navy Yard (Kittery, Maine, U.S.A.)

Ordered 9 Sep 1940

Laid down 17 Apr 1942

Launched 15 Aug 1942

Commissioned 24 Oct 1942

Lost Apr 1945

History

USS Snook (Cdr. John Franklin Walling) was lost while conducting her ninth war patrol, in the South China Sea or Luzon Strait. On 8 April 1945, she reported her position to submarine USS Tigrone (SS 419) and when she did not acknowledge messages sent from Tigrone the next day, it was presumed that she had headed toward Luzon Strait. On 12 April, she was ordered to take lifeguard station in the vicinity of Sakeshima Gunto in support of British carrier air strikes. On 20 April, the commander of the British carrier task force reported that he had a plane down in Snook's assigned area, and that he could not contact the submarine by radio. Snook was ordered to search the area and to acknowledge the order. When she failed to make a transmission, USS Bang (SS 385) was sent to make the search and rendezvous with Snook. Although Bang arrived and rescued the downed aviators, she saw nothing of the missing submarine and on 16 May 1945 USS Snook, credited with sinking 17 enemy vessels in her two and one-half years of active service, was presumed lost after 8 April 1945, the victim of unknown causes.

The loss date given is an approximate one.

Notable events involving Snook include:

3 Mar 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel, USN) departed New London bound for the Panama Canal Zone.

16 Mar 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel, USN) transited the Panama Canal.

31 Mar 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) arrived at Pearl Harbor.

11 Apr 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the East China and Yellow Seas.

30 Apr 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) lays mines off Saddle Island, China.

5 May 1943

While operating in the Yellow Sea USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ships Kinko Maru (1268 GRT, former British Stangton) in position 38°39'N, 122°35'E and Daifuku Maru (3194 GRT) in position 38°38'N, 122°39'E.

7 May 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ships Tosei Maru (4363 GRT) and Shinsei Maru No.3 (1258 GRT) in the Yellow Sea in position 36°05'N, 123°21'E.

16 May 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) sank a Japanese trawler with gunfire south of Honshu, Japan in position 30°29'N, 141°55'E.

23 May 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) ended her 1st war patrol at Midway.

9 Jun 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) departed from Midway for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the Ryukyu Islands.

24 Jun 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese fleet oiler Ose (7986 GRT, former Dutch Genota captured on 9 May 1942 about 500 nautical miles off east of Madagascar by the Japanese merchant cruisers Hokoku Maru and Aikoku Maru) west of Amami Oshima in position 28°50'N, 126°56'E.

3 Jul 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese troop transport Atlantic Maru (5872 GRT) and torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ships Liverpool Maru (5865 GRT) and Koki Maru (5290 GRT) about 250 nautical miles north-north-east of Keelung, Formosa in position 28°40'N, 124°10'E.

18 Jul 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) ended her 2nd war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

18 Aug 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the East China and Yellow Seas.

13 Sep 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Yamato Maru (9655 GRT) in the East China Sea in position 30°08'N, 123°32'E.

22 Sep 1943

While operating in the Yellow Sea USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Katsurahama Maru (715 GRT) in position 39°00'N, 124°20'E and torpedoed and damaged the Japanese merchant cargo ship Hakutetsu Maru (762 GRT) in position 39°15'N, 123°30'E.

8 Oct 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) ended her 3rd war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

31 Oct 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the Mariana Islands.

28 Nov 1943

While operating north-west of Saipan USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Kotobuki Maru (5874 GRT) in position 18°48'N, 139°50'E and the Japanese troop transport Yamafuku Maru (4928 GRT) in position 18°21'N, 140°08'E.

29 Nov 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Shiganoura Maru (3512 GRT) west off the Mariana Islands in position 18°38'N, 139°35'E.

7 Dec 1943

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) ended her 4th war patrol at Midway.

6 Jan 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the west coast of Kyushu in Japanese home waters.

23 Jan 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary gunboat Magane Maru (3120 GRT) about 175 nautical miles north-northwest of Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands in position 29°49'N, 140°08'E.

8 Feb 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Lima Maru (6989 GRT) and torpedoed and damaged the Japanese army cargo ship Shiranesan Maru (4739 GRT) about 30 nautical miles south-east of the Goto Archipelago in position 31°05'N, 127°37'E.

14 Feb 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Nittoku Maru (3591 GRT) south- west of Tsushima, Japan in position 33°48'N, 128°50'E.

15 Feb 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Kamone Maru (875 GRT) off the south coast of Korea in position 34°23'N, 128°23'E.

23 Feb 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Kayo Maru (5471 GRT) about 120 nautical miles north-north-west of Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands in position 28°49'N, 141°13'E.

6 Mar 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Triebel) ended her 5th war patrol at Pearl Harbor. she was now sent to the Hunters Point Navy Yard for a major overhaul.

25 Jun 1944

With her overhaul completed USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 6th war patrol.

14 Aug 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) ended her 6th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

17 Sep 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in Luzon Strait and the South China Sea.

25 Sep 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) puts into Saipan to make repairs.

4 Oct 1944

With her repairs completed USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) departed from Saipan to resume her 7th war patrol.

23 Oct 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese merchant tanker Kikusui Maru (3887 GRT, former Dutch Iris) in the South China Sea, west of Luzon Strait in position 19°44'N, 118°25'E. The damaged ship sank the next day in position 19°46'N, 118°30'E.

24 Oct 1944

While operating west of Luzon Strait USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ships Arisan Maru (6886 GRT) in position 20°54'N, 118°19'E and Shinsei Maru No.1 (5863 GRT) in position 20°10'N, 118°17'E.

18 Nov 1944

USS Snook (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Browne) ended her 7th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

25 Dec 1944

USS Snook (Cdr. J.F. Walling) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the Kuril Islands.

17 Feb 1945

USS Snook (Cdr. J.F. Walling) ended her 8th war patrol at Guam.

25 Mar 1945

USS Snook (Cdr. J.F. Walling) departed from Guam for her 9th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea and Luzon Strait.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

If you noticed anything I missed in this profile, you can contact me at (walterdenney@gmail.com).