Marine Lance Cpl. James E. Brown

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Lance Cpl. James E. Brown, 20, of Owensville, Ind.

LCpl Brown was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed Nov. 2, 2006 while conducting combat operations in Habbaniyah, Iraq.

OWENSVILLE - Lance Cpl. James Eric Brown, USMC, 20, was killed in action in Habbanijah, Iraq, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006.

He was born on Jan. 12, 1986, in Evansville. He was preceded in death by his father, Edward Van Antwerp.

He was a member of the First General Baptist Church in Owensville.

James graduated from Gibson Southern High School in 2005. He was the captain of the football team his senior year and was awarded the Most Valuable Player, Iron Man Award, Best Offensive Lineman, All PAC Conference team and earned state honorable mention as a linebacker. He also was a two-time Golden Gloves champion.

After high school graduation he left for boot camp on June 19, 2005. He graduated boot camp as Private First Class on Sept. 16, 2005. Then, he went on to the school of infantry at Camp Geigu, graduating Dec. 22, 2005. He joined his unit, the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines II Expeditionary Forces, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C. In April 2006, James was promoted to lance corporal. He was deployed to Iraq on July 11, 2006.

James loved fishing, hunting and most of all being with his family.

Surviving are his mother, Joanne Van Antwerp; sister, Carma Marie Dart, and a brother, Dillen Andrew Friend, all of Owensville; his fiancee, Jamie Coleman, whom he was to wed upon his arrival home; aunts, Barbara (Dennis) DeLong, Mary (Kevin) Hess and Tammy Brown; uncles, Roger (Ginger) Brown and Jack (Karen) Brown; and loving great-aunts, cousins and friends.

Fallen but not forgotten, Semper Fidelis.

Memorials may be made to Dollar for Scholars in memory of James E. Brown to establish a scholarship fund.

Marine Lance Cpl. James E. Brown was killed in action on 11/2/06.