Lt. Richard Le Brou was born July 8, 1890 in Baltimore, MD. He served in the army during WWI and WWII. He was twice a finance officer. He rose to the rank of colonel by the time he retired on September 30, 1948. He was in the U.S. Army from 1917 and 1920, serving overseas during WWI.

At some point between 1910 and 1916 he married Clarissa Peacock (1887-1962) of Bloomsburg, PA. They had a daughter stillborn on March 15, 1916. Their daughter's death certificate is below.

Death Certificate, Edith Jean Le Brou, March 15, 1916 (Source: ancestry.com)

Evening News, Harrisburg, PA, January 11, 1924 (Source: newspapers.com)

The 1920 U.S. Census placed him (age 29) and Clarissa (31) living in Bexar, TX at Kelly Field. His occupation was cited as 2nd lieutenant in the Air Corp.

Evening News, Harrisburg, PA, August 7, 1925 (Source: newspapers.com)

At some point between the Census and 1924, Le Brou was assigned to Middletown Aviation Depot near Harrisburg, PA. According to the Harrisburg Evening News of January 11, 1924, left, Clarissa joined in with the social activities of army officer's wives. Several other news articles described social activities for army wives. Note mention of Register pilot spouses, Mrs. I.H. Edwards, Mrs. R.C.W. Blessley and his mother.

As, well, Le Brou was on the golf committee, which established a new golf course at the Depot, right. He must have been a good golfer, because the Evening News of September 3, 1925 described the Le Brous motoring to Baltimore, MD for him to play in a golf tournament there. Later in the 1920s, he was assigned to Panama.

Wilkes-Barre Record, January 26, 1928 (Source: ancestry.com)

The Bee, Danville, VA, January 26, 1928 (Source: newspapers.com)

He also made the newspapers while in Panama. He accompanied Charles Lindbergh on a hunting expedition when Lindbergh visited Panama, left. He also escorted pilots Costa and LeBrix for a short distance when they began their historic flight to Hondouras and Mexico, right.

A U.S. Immigrations form cited Le Brou sailing from Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone (C.Z.) to New York City, landing there on October 7, 1929. His wife and two daughters (see below) preceded him in their return to New York by about four months. I don't know what the reason was for their trip back to the U.S., but they did return to Panama.

The 1930 Census placed him and Clarissa living in officers' barracks at France Field, C.Z. Living with them now were two daughters, Mary Ida (10), and Ruth M (7; 1922-1992). His occupation was recorded as "Officer" in the "Air Corps." Interestingly, living right next to him and appearing just below him on the same Census form was Register pilot Ernest E. Harmon.

From the Register, it is clear that he left Panama and was established at Rockwell Field ca. 1930. Another U.S. Immigrations form recorded Clarissa and the two girls returning to the U.S. aboard the U.S. Army Transport ship St. Mihiel on June 13, 1930.

Le Brou landed and signed the Tucson Register once, about a year after his return from Panama, on Sunday, June 21, 1931 at 6:00PM. He flew the Sikorsky C-6A 30-399 (MSN 514-2?), manufactured ca. 1929. He carried two unidentified passengers. Based at San Diego, CA, Rockwell Field, they were westbound from Midland, TX back to San Diego. No purpose was given for the flight, but if you direct your browser to the airplane's page, you'll discover that it was being ferried to the west coast by Le Brou and his crew to be used for water rescue, training and for towing targets.

In 1934, Le Brou, still assigned at Rockwell Field, applied for veteran's compensation for his WWI service and filled out the following form. We learn from this form that he served from November 1, 1917 to September 8, 1920, and was based overseas from August 27, 1918 to February 2, 1919. He was honorably discharged September 7, 1920 to accept a commission in the regular army. Of interest is that this form was signed by fellow Register pilot Horace N. Heisen. Le Brou earned $200 over 20 months by completing this paperwork. That amount was probably enough to keep his family in bread and vegetables over that period. His residence in the San Diego area was corroborated by the 1933 and 1934 city directories for San Diego, CA and for Coronado, CA, respectively.

Veteran's Compensation Application, March 28, 1934 (Source: ancestry.com)

In 1935, he completed the following veteran's service and compensation card. This is one of a few he filled out over his career.

Veteran's Service & Compensation Card, July 9, 1935 (Source: ancestry.com)

Le Brou was assigned to the Army Finance Division on January 29, 1936, which was probably a Pentagon job. In the 1940 Census, Le Brou (49) and Clarissa (52) lived at 4729 Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA. That property today is just west of the Washington Blvd. flyover of Interstate 66. It is a modest brick and stone home, which appears to be of 1940s vintage. Their daughters were with them at ages 20 and 17.

With the startup of WWII, he was promoted to colonel in 1942. I do not know what his role was during WWII, but being over 50 years old, it was probably stateside. The Army retired list for 1949 listed Le Brou's service record as follows.

U.S. Army Retired List, 1949 (Source: Woodling)

R.K. Le Brou, Grave Marker (Source: findagrave.com)

Le Brou retired from the Army in 1948 as a Colonel. He flew West on April 5, 1949 in Pine Valley, CA. He was 58 years old and retired from the military less than a year. His grave marker at the Arlington National Cemetery is at left.

At some point, after the 1940 Census, Le Brou married Victoria (Kraika) Le Brou (1912-2000). When she died in 2000, she was buried next to him at Arlington. A photograph of her gravesite, below, is posted at findagrave.com. She appeared in the 1960 city directory for Clearwater, FL as the widow of Richard K. Lebrou. Census and other records spelled her name "Lebrou."

Victoria K. Le Brou, Arlington Cemetery Grave Marker, 2000 (Source: findagrave.com)

I do not know the circumstances around Le Brou's divorce from Clarissa, or where or when he married Victoria, or if they had any children in the few years that were left for Le Brou. If you can help fill in the blanks, please let me KNOW.

The 1954 city directory for San Jose, CA recorded Clarissa living there, also as the widow of Le Brou. She did not change her name. She passed away February 28, 1962 in Santa Clara, CA.

Note to persons searching for Le Brou: his name is variously spelled LeBrow, LeBrau, LeBron and others. All these variations are compounded with or without a space after the Le. In fact, I had originally transcribed his name as LeBron from the Register. The correct spelling is as in the banner at the top of this page, which is what appears on his headstone and official documents. He has a very poor Web presence.

His interment record from the Arlington National Cemetery is below. Notice that a lot was reserved for, "future interment of widow." That would have been Victoria.

R.K. Le Brou Arlington Interment Record, April 13, 1949 (Source: ancestry.com)

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