MSGT CHARLES AJ BRAUN
Charles A.J. Braun who later earned the rank of Master Sergeant in the US Air Force was born on September 16, 1926 to WWI Veteran Joseph and his wife Bertha Mae Braun in Rantoul, Illinois while his father was serving at Chanute Air Base.
His father was a WWI Veteran. Charlie’s family has over 154yrs combined service to the USA.
His father and mother raised their 8 children including 7 boys on army bases all over Texas before settling in Waco where Charlie received his diploma from Waco High School. In 1944 the government offered early release with a diploma to anyone who enlisted in the military. This was the start of Charlie’s 26 year military career…
While in the Army during WWII his job was preparing and maintaining survival equipment for the air crews. He worked for some time in the Panama Canal zone. When the war was over, he stayed in the military and jumped over to the Air Force when it was formed in 1947. As Charlie tells it, when the Korean war broke out June 25, 1950, they didn’t have to deploy me to Korea, I was already there!
After serving time in Korea, he came back to the states and moved his family from base to base depending on the assignment he was given. In 1965 he was first deployed to Vietnam. As he states, I was given a bullet proof vest to wear but the pilot laughed at me and said, NO, don’t put it on, you sit on it!! They will shoot you from the ground!
Charlie served another year in Vietnam in 1967. After his deployment in Vietnam, he knew it was time to retire because he like he’d survive a third deployment. I just knew if I went back again, I’d be killed.
Charlie retired as Master Sergeant in 1970. He moved to Wise County Texas and raised his family and was a key part in the formation of the emergency medical services in Wise County. Before Charlie took charge there were no formal services to answer the emergency calls. At one point he kept the ambulance in his front yard ready to respond to calls. He received his EMT license and many other lifesaving certifications over the years.
Charlie saved lives & served his community in many capacities. Charlie along with his wife Evelyn raised 12 children and one of them is here today. Johnny Braun!! Thank you, Johnny, for sharing your father with us!! The sacrifices children, spouses and families make while their loved ones are serving is unimaginable!!
We thank all the families who supported their loved ones while they were off defending our country!!!
Master Sergeant Charles Braun, we honor you today! You and all our veterans are legends!!
The humble, kind, witty person we know as Mr Charlie inspired Patriot Society Boyd to gather all the WWII veterans to be honored in Austin! Mr Charlie is part of a group that cherishes him! Honors him!! Loves him!!
