Motobu, A Marine’s Best Friend and Sgt. James F. Brown

 After writing the stories of the horrific Texas City disaster of 1947, it seemed time to venture into lighter, feel-good territory. After finding a story of a shell-shocked and abandoned Japanese war dog, named Motobu for the north Okinawa peninsula where he was found, who was rescued by some US Marines, including a young man from Bossier City, I thought I’d come across the perfect feel-good topic. And, it was just in time for the 79th anniversary of “Victory Over Japan,” commemorating the August 14, 1945 announcement that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. As I did more research, the story of the young Marine reservist from Bossier City, Sgt. James F. Brown, who helped rescue the starving German Shepherd that became a critical and beloved member of his unit, takes a tragic turn. But thanks to Motobu, one can still imagine some brave Marines having moments of joy amidst the horrors of the Battle of Okinawa (March 26, 1945 – Sep 7, 1945) in the Ryukyu islands extending off of Japan.

James Francis Brown, Jr. (born 1921), known as Frank, attended Bossier High School in the 1930’s, when it encompassed all grades. According to the 1940 US Census, Frank completed school through the seventh grade, then left to work. It was around that same time that his mother Jane passed away. His father, Frank Sr., worked in the logging and timber industry and James lived with his siblings and stepsiblings with his grandmother, Sarah Reichler, in Bossier City. Before leaving for the service, Frank worked for the city water department and volunteered as a firefighter in Bossier City, where he was apparently was well-known and well-liked.

Shortly after the US entered World War II, Frank Brown, Jr. enlisted in the Marines on February 10th, 1942. He worked his way up through the ranks to Sergeant. He became a part of the new Sixth Marine Division (of Company F, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines) which formed in September, 1944. His division was part of a Fleet Marine Force, which was tactically equivalent to an infantry division and performed offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare.

The Sixth Marine Division in Okinawa initially had a deceptively easy advance onto the island until they encountered the Kunigami Detachment, which was assigned to defend the Motobu Peninsula and le Shima (now known as Iejima). Fighting at Motobu was fierce and unrelenting. It took several before the peninsula was secured. 207 Marines were killed and 757 were wounded.

The Japanese war dog (both the Japanese Imperial Army and the US Marines used dogs as sentries, messengers, scouts among other important tasks) that was later named Motobu by his US Marine rescuers, was found shortly after the battle. The German Shepherd was suffering from severe shell shock (what is now called PTSD), lying nearly unconscious under a rock and unable to stand or make his way to a nearby stream to drink. In a Marine Corps photo of Motobu post-rescue, the dog is alertly looking right at the camera, tongue out, sporting a beautiful, healthy coat and a handsome pose. He is flanked by two Marines, 1st Lieutenant Merrill F. McLane and Corporal Howard Lee Cox, who are looking at Motobu with looks of respect and even adoration. Motobu fell on good times, but even fiercer battles were yet to come.

Sadly, unbeknownst to the readers of the Motobu story in the Shreveport and Bossier newspapers, James F. Brown was killed in action, even as they were reading of his part in the rescue of Motobu. (Note that there was a “Delayed” annotation in the article’s byline.) Brown was killed on May 20, 1945, when he was shot in the hills of Okinawa that were pitted with caves and passages hiding the Japanese fighters who resisted surrender at any cost.

The Shreveport Journal on Saturday, June 2nd, wrote, “Little did the public realize that Brown was dead when they read in Wednesday’s (May 30, 1945) Journal of his rescue of a shell-shocked dog”. In fact, Frank Brown’s grandmother in Bossier City, Sarah E. Reichler, who was listed as his next of kin, had received notice of Frank’s death on Sunday, May 27th, just three days before the Shreveport Journal story was published. The Planters Press ran the Motobu story even later, on June 7th. The Journal also reported that Brown had not had a furlough since joining the service, so his family members had not seen him for about three years.

Read next week’s article to learn more about Frank Brown’s heroic actions, Motobu’s contributions to the 6th Marines, and how both Brown and his grandmother were shown appreciation by the local community for their sacrifices.

If you have World War II family photos or stories to share (we will also scan and return originals if that is your preference) please visit or contact us at the History Center. Also, don’t forget about our World War II’s Day (Tuesday) coffee and discussion group on the second Tuesday of each month from 10:30 – noon. The History Center (and World War Tuesday) is now located in the new Central Library building at 850 City Hall Drive, Bossier City, LA, across Beckett Street from the original History Center and the “old” Central Library. We are open M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. Our phone number is (318) 746-7717 and our email is history-center@bossierlibrary.org

For other fun facts, photos, and videos, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on TikTok, and check out our blog http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.

Images: 

• Sgt. James F. Brown from The Planters Press newspaper of Bossier City, Louisiana, Thu, Apr 04, 1946.   

• Motobu and Marines. From left to right: Marine 1st Lieutenant Merrill F. McLane (6th Marine Division), Japanese war dog 'Motobu', Corporal Howard Lee Cox (6th Marine Division). United States Marine Corps - Photograph Collection (COLL/3948) of the Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections).  

Article by: Pam Carlisle