Robert Brown was a member of the crew of the U.S.S. Penguin, in port at Guam when the Japanese attacked and severely damaged his ship on December 8, 1941. The crew scuttled the Penguin to keep it from falling into enemy hands before making their way to shore to continue their defense of the Island. All but six of these men were captured within the first 48 hours and interned as prisoners of war. Robert Brown subsequently died of pneumonia while in captivity, on or about February 14, 1944.