“Devotion” recounts the story of a warrior who surmounted racial prejudice and humiliation to fight for his nation and had his name inscribed in history. The life of Jesse L. Brown, an African-American aviator, and officer in the United States Navy, was highlighted in J.D. Dillard’s “Devotion.” He was the first man of color in the US Navy to complete the flight training program and the first naval officer to be honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross medal. However, Jesse’s entrance into the Navy as the first man of color wasn’t particularly simple. He had been humiliated at every turn throughout his life. The movie “Devotion” depicts all those highs and lows as well as his battle with humiliation. Beyond all else, he stood up and fought for his country, being completely devoted to his work. Let’s shed some light on the life of this remarkable personality.
In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on October 13, 1926, Jesse L. Brown was born. Being a teacher, his father could hardly provide for his family. They lived in a house without insulation, so they counted on the fireplaces to keep themselves warm, but a major accident happened in the family involving Jesse’s brother William burning himself in the fireplaces. Jesse’s upbringing had been tragic, witnessing society’s animosity toward the black community. Following his father’s loss of employment and relocation to Palmer’s Crossing, Jesse developed an interest in flying after seeing an air show. He began his career reading newspapers to military pilots while working as a paperboy. Since then, he has grown more interested in becoming a pilot. In 1937, he complained in a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt about the exclusion of African-American pilots from the US Army Air Corps. The White House valued his opinion. Jesse enrolled at Ohio State University after graduating from Eureka Academy. During this period, he worked a number of part-time jobs, including as a waiter and saloon worker.
In his college years, he made the decision to participate in the college’s aviation program but was denied because of his color. However, he joined an aviation cadet training program run by the US Navy during his second year of college. Jesse was given the opportunity to enlist in the US Naval Reserve in 1946 after passing the admissions exam. He quit his part-time job and completed his degree in architectural engineering. He arrived at Glenview Naval Air Station in 1947 to begin his naval flight training. Since navigators were not permitted to marry during training, Brown secretly married his sweetheart, Daisy Pearl Nix. In August 1947, Jesse completed his training. He was assigned to pilot the fighter aircraft the F4U Corsair and F6F Hellcat in 1948. When he successfully finished his training for carrier takeoffs and landings and got his Naval Aviator Badge, he got recognized throughout the country. He had been interviewed by Life Magazine, which also featured a portrait of him. In 1949, he was commissioned into the US Navy as an ensign. Just like he was being portrayed in the film, in real life as well, Brown wasn’t an outgoing individual. He didn’t spend much time with his coworkers, but whenever he had free time, he would visit his wife. He was a perfect family man who had always been devoted to his family and his loving wife.
During the time when the Korean war broke out, the United Nations committed armed personnel and provided air and naval support. When the People’s Republic of China entered the war in October, Jesse Brown and his men were deployed to the Chosin Reservoir with six aircrafts. On December 4, 1950, Jesse Brown was operating one of the aircraft assisting the US Marines in battle. An American Lieutenant of Junior Grade named Thomas J. Hudner Jr., served as his wingman at the time. Brown’s aircraft flew far away from the Task Force to the Chosin Reservoir during this journey. The spacecraft’s altitude was reduced to 700 feet in order to be able to locate its targets. The entire search and destruction effort took three hours, but Brown’s jet seemed to be dripping fuel. As Brown attempted to land the aircraft, it crashed into some trees over the frozen ground. Without gasoline and with the air pressure dropping, the aircraft lost control and suffered damage as soon as it slammed into the ground. Only Tom Hudner landed to rescue Brown, while the other pilots thought he had passed away. Tom was able to locate Brown, who was severely injured before emergency rescue arrived. Brown started to collapse due to his severe injuries, so Tom Hudner tried his best effort to get him out of his seat. Before passing out, his final words were for his wife, Daisy. After Brown had collapsed, Hudner and the force went back to the base. The commanders forbade Hudner from rescuing Brown because they were afraid of an attack. Following his passing out, he died. After his demise, he became the first African American officer in the United States Navy to die in the war.
Brown received numerous awards in the wake of his passing, including the Purple Heart Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal, but none of them were even close to being worth his life. The affection he received from his family and such a devoted friend as Hudner was the true reward for his entire life of honesty and commitment to his work. Hudner was the one who put his life in danger to save his comrade. Despite all the warnings, he crash-landed and tried to save his friend, who was on the verge of passing away. He believed, like everyone else, that the nation needed more soldiers like Jesse L. Brown. Hudner received a Medal of Honor for this gallant endeavor.
“Devotion” did a good job of portraying this heroic man’s life and telling his true narrative, which includes his struggle to thrive in a racially prejudiced society and his untimely death on the battlefield. Jesse L. Brown was a brave man who grew up watching the hatred and bigotry of society but never got into a fight with anyone. He was a serious and witty man who thought that deeds were more important than verbal protest. While the hidebound people surrounding him had attempted in vain to break his strength, he achieved his aim of being a great aviator, breaking down all barriers based on color and making a name for himself. Thus, everything from films to biographies has been dedicated to him in order to remember this remarkable journey of his. Jesse L. Brown was a pioneer of a silent protest against racism, for which he will be remembered for eternity.
