Clinton A. âClintâ Brown, was a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, brother-in-law, son-in-law, friend, and soldier.
He was born on August 5, 1963, in Bangor, the son of Philip W. and Ginger A. (Perkins) Brown and passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by those that loved him on November 10, 2011, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He grew up in Stillwater, Maine and graduated from Old Town High School in 1982. Proud and motivated to serve his country, he enlisted in the US Air Force in 1984 where he attended Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB, Texas and went on to attend technical training for Power Production at Sheppard AFB, Texas. Upon graduation he was stationed at Loring AFB, ME from February 1985 through February 1987, and was then stationed at Kunsan AFB Korea, from February 1987 through June of 1988. He was transferred to Reese AFB, Texas in June 1988 through January 1990, where he was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1989 to assist with closing a bed down. Clint also served in Panama in 1989. He separated in September of 1990 and then reenlisted in the Maine Air National Guard in November of 1990. He attended utilities technical training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in January of 1991, from where he graduated with honors. Clint was deployed to Kirkuk, Iraq in 2005. He had three deployments to Yuma, AZ during 2006, 2007 and 2008 for Operation Jump Start; during the deployment in 2007 he was sent to New Mexico for Operation Mexican Border Fence. Clint served at Sather AFB, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from July of 2009 through January 2010.
Clint was also employed with Brinks and Loomis for twenty years. He enjoyed the outdoors and being with family and friends. He loved atving, boating, fishing and hunting in the great Maine woods. He enjoyed time spent at the family camps in Haynesville and Bradley. He cherished life and never took anything for granted. Clint knew every day was precious. He loved his wife, Greta and daughter, Briana more than words could ever say. His world revolved around them. Clint also loved a good beer, specifically Rolling Rock. He loved beef jerky and his Mamaâs homemade Macaroni and Cheese. Through his High School years he was known as a ladies man and was often able to get himself out of trouble with his ice blue eyes. Clint was always quick to jump on any volunteer missions, and he loved to travel.
Clintâs tribute stone was chosen by his parents from the family hunting camp in Bradley, Maine.
8 Comments
I had the honor and privilege of carrying Clint’s stone with me on the Honoring Hero’s 5K run in Bangor. I chose his stone because my wife, Debra Roy Hoffman, also graduated from Old Town High. I was apprehensive about carrying his stone on the run due to the size and weight of his stone compared to the others, but was determined to run without dropping it. I also remembered the words from the old song ( He Ain’t Heavy) and knew that I was strong enough to carry him. We came in first place in the 5K in the over 60 division and I asked the Summit project volunteer to take a picture with the plaque next to Clint’s stone. Hopefully, they will post it soon, if it is not already done.
Clint’s service to our Country was long and dedicated and I felt honored to carry his stone. I also felt a connection to Clint through his love and dedication to his family as I share those beliefs. May God bless all of Clint’s family.
Bill, thank you so much for the post. My family and I love to hear about Clintâs stone and the journey it is taking and whom it is hiking with. I think it is awesome you choose his stone because he went to Old Town High School, I am a year older then Clint so in high school he was a year behind me, our high school years together was a lot of fun and I have a lot of great memories. I want to say thank you again and hope they post the picture. Sincerely, Clintâs Sister Melissa
âCome on over. We have something for you.â
Those were the first words that began my mission. What started out as a weekend to honor an amazing hero turned into a life changing experience. Perhaps it was selfish of me to feel inclined to have Clintâs stone for my first ever Husky Ruck. After all, I feel like family already. But it was in the moments that filled my weekend that I realized that there is more to Clint than what meets the eye.
I stopped at your home and was handed Clintâs hat and was asked to wear it to keep me motivated. As I hugged each of you I could see Philâs eyes start to tear up. The love that you folks have for not only Clint but for each of your children is palpable. And you have every right to be proud.
I continued on my trek to what would be the biggest butt kicking of my life! And honestly I think thatâs what Clint would have loved most. Saturday morning I went out onto the open field and watched the sunrise while holding Clintâs hat and talking to him. I asked him to not only push me but to keep me safe and injury free. He and I had some private conversation that I will forever hold dear. As I sat up to go back inside to prep I looked up and saw an osprey fly overhead. A true Clint hello!
So the morning of the Husky Ruck was busy upon arrival. Old friends, new friends and lots of hugs. Walking from the parking lot I overlooked the entire event from the top of the hill and there was a sea of red shirts, drill instructors prepping to yell at the competitors at each obstacle and some motivating music playing over the loud speaker. All I could think of was how Clint would love this kind of party.
I stretched, went to the scale to get my pack weighed in and it was time to get on the line. BUT WAIT! Something told me to look back at the TSP tent one more time, two stones left on the table out of all of them. This was Clint telling me, âAndrea, whatâsâ one more? No man left behind!â So we grabbed the stone of CPO Robert Roy and embarked on an adventure.
The Ruck itself was all uphill/downhill. Not a straight away to be seen. Being only 5 feet tall and a pack weighing in fairly heavy, my short little wheel base was struggling. No matter how tired I got and struggled up and down those hills all I could think of was Clintâs smiling at me. Those icy blue eyes taunting me with some âshort girlâ jokes and the promise of a Rolling Rock at the end if I kept going.
I got back through the finish line and was greeted with many hugs, we had a closing speech. The whole time all I could notice as I looked around was this huge family of hundreds with one common goal. To honor our heroes and to say their names. I look forward to my continued conversations with Clint each day, a toast with a Rolling Rock in his honor at each occasion. But most importantly the opportunity to carry on his love of family and country. Thank you for raising an amazing man and for allowing me to be a small part in his adventure.
Sincerely,
Andrea âSugarâ Killam
I had the distinct honor and privilege or carrying the stone and the story of Air National Guard MSgt Clinton A Brown for two Veteranâs Day events in Ellsworth earlier this month. Saturday the 9th Clint and I hiked Blue Hill Mountain and the following day we walked the beautiful course of the Veteranâs Day 4 Miler Road race along the Union River in Ellsworth.
It was such a joy learning about Clint, his life, and his legacy. When I first laid eyes on Clint my eyes were drawn to his, they were piercing and instantly drew me in. They were the eyes of a dedicated Airmen, father, son, uncle, nephew, grandson, and friend. It was clear that he had eagerly and willingly served his country with great pride.
On Friday before the race I had the amazing opportunity to talk with Clintâs father. He told me so very much about Clint in a short amount of time which confirmed my belief that Clint lead a full life and left a legacy that will never be forgotten. It brought tears to my eyes listening to Phil talk about his son, how deep his bond was with his beautiful daughter, how dedicated he was, how proud he was of his son for his service to his country, and to hear about his love for all things outdoors. After speaking with Phil, I did some final research and prepared my words for our circle at the summit of Blue Hill Mountain where I would have the chance to share Clintâs story.
The hike up BH Mountain was one like I had never experienced (and I have been up that trail numerous times). It was chilly and the trail was snowy and icy. We all forged on and with each gentle step I took I felt the weight of Clintâs stone in my pack, pushing me up the trail. When we reached the summit the sun was shining down on us and the view was amazing. Knowing how much Clint loved the outdoors I couldnât help but think of those blue eyes soaking in the spectacular view.
When it came time for me to speak about Clint my hands started shaking and tears started to fill my eyes even before the first words came out. I never ever feel as though I can do my hero justice in these circles and this holds true for Clint. I spoke my own words but then I included a letter that was written to Clint by his sister and followed it up with the letter that Clint wrote to his family when he knew his time was near. It was a struggle to see the words on the paper through the tears that fell. Tears for a father who will never walk his daughter down the aisle, tears for a husband who will never share another special moment with his love, tears for a man who will never hop on his wheeler and head out for a great adventure again, tears for his father who will never share another moose hunt with his son, tears to his mother who had to bury her son, tears for his daughter who will not get that magical father daughter dance on her special day. Tears for his family, friends, and coworkers who lost an amazing part of their lives.
It was clear that Clint knew what he was facing, that he had lived his life and had left a legacy that would live on. I am proud to have carried his stone and his story, and you have my promise that his story will live on with me sharing it with everyone who will listen! Thank you for participating in The Summit Project, for choosing a beautiful stone to represent his presence, and for allowing myself and others like me to welcome Clint into our lives and giving us the opportunity to help honor him.
My name is SSgt Walker, I had the honor of carrying this fellow Airmanâs stone throughout the 16 mile Ruck to Remember throughout Portland and South Portland. It was a great experience and I couldnât have been more motivated than I was. I brought my two year old daughter with as well so she could share in the experience. Throughout the ruck we had 40 degree temps, wind, and rain. I loved making the ruck in that weather, while rucking it was constantly in my head that it was important for me to honor MSgt Brownâs sacrifice by sacrificing my comfort. I look forward to doing this again, and I would love to carry MSgt Browns rock again. The next time I will bring a Rolling Rock for him and I for the completion of the next event.
Dear Maine Air National Guard Clinton A. Brownâs family,
My name is Mariah Muecke, I am 17 years old, and I had the honor and privilege of hiking with Clinton’s stone. We hiked the Owl. It was a 3.7 mile hike to the summit. The hike was over 7 miles, 9 hours up and back down. It was challenging and emotionally draining. As it was a very physically challenging hike I reminded myself of the weight of Clinton’s stone and he helped push me forward.
I discovered Clinton and I had a few things in common: we both loved the outdoors like riding ATVs, I have a few atvs myself, and love working on them. I had wished to speak with his family before the hike, but I remain hopeful I will be able to connect with them in the future as I would love to know more about Clinton. At my team’s summit point I tried to tell his story the best that I could.
I felt Clinton was with me on that hike, he was encouraging me the whole way up, and did not let me give up on the hike no matter how challenging it got! I hope I made you all proud, and I hope I honored Clinton the way you would have wanted him to be honored. I feel truly honored I was able to experience my first summit project hike with Clintonâs stone.
~Mariah Muecke
This year was such a beautiful experience for our TSP ANP event. After two years of virtual and scaled-back events we were finally back in full effect! It was a spectacular weekend to gather and remember our heroes. With Hurricane Fiona bearing down on the east coast, our teams were lining up to board buses and complete this mission. There was no hesitation and, speaking for Team White, there was not a single hiker out of our Team of 18 who would have defaulted due to weather. We were ready and my heart was so happy to be engaging in a full-scale event after so long!
When I was first assigned Clint’s stone, I was both excited and nervous. I had never hiked with Clint before, and I was looking forward to getting to know him! But I was also worried I might not find a connection to him, and I was scared that I wouldn’t do his memory and service the justice he deserved. As soon as I heard Melissa’s voice on the phone, and could tell how very much Clint was loved and missed, I knew I would have no trouble connecting to him. Hearing Melissa’s stories and listening to the kind of man Clint had been warmed my heart. Love of the outdoors and being in nature is a common theme for our TSP heroes, but I love that Clint was instilling his love of adventure and being outside in his daughter. I am sure they saw some amazing sights and scenery on all those ATV rides!
Our hike was mild in comparison to what we were prepared for. Only a few sections of the Mountain opened up to a clear area where the wind was fierce! Thankfully, I had Clint tucked into my pack, and his stone, along with the copious number of snacks I had packed, weighed me down just enough to keep me from flying off the edge. Each time we crested a new ridge and the scenery changed I thought about how Clint would have loved to be there. No hunting and fishing on Cadillac, but lots of amazing aerial views and plenty of trees to feel like you are in the woods. I like to imagine he would have enjoyed it as much as I did!
In our sacred circle on the Summit I held Clintâs stone in my lap and recalled the story Melissa told me about waking up to an entire High School sports team in her bedroom one morning and her brother, Clint, laughing at his best ever prank! This story struck me more than the others, as I once woke up in my dorm room to two of UMaineâs finest hockey players whoâd found the wrong room with an unlocked door after one too many beverages. I can only imagine, as a teenager, the horror this would have caused me with bedhead and morning breath!
I truly enjoyed hearing about what a wonderful human Clint was and how he held his entire family in such high regard. His forethought to ensure his family had birthday gifts while he was deployed is a clear display of his selflessness and pure love for others. I hope to raise a son with this same regard for others. Thank you for allowing us to honor and remember your brother, father, son, uncle and friend. I am truly honored. #MHANF
Dear Brown family, It was my privilege and honor to carry Clintâs stone in Baxter State Park this year. The White team hiked the Rainbow Loop trail. Like Clint, I also love the outdoors and any time I can spend with friends and family. I have lived in Stillwater for the last 25 years and love this community. I will hope to run into you one day soon.
I work for the VA and am aware of the burden borne by men and women who deploy multiple times for their country. I deeply appreciate their sacrifice. Carrying Clintâs stone and story made me more aware of how much the family sacrifices each time a spouse, parent or child deploys. The gift of time given in service is given by the entire family. I am honored to have been able to carry this stone and give a little of my time in appreciation of Clintâs service.
Thank you.
-Karen Martin