(Photos courtesy of USCG Pacific Area Public Affairs)
The Senior Chief's remains were interred the week of March 11 at
the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (the "Punchbowl") in Honolulu.
Click
HERE for the public obituary notice.
Shown below is a shadow box made by Brower's son that includes a chart used during the flight and signed by the crew of
CG-1708.
The final HC-130 flight of ADCS E.E. Brower, Jr.
(Photos above are from the obituary page)
Senior Chief Aviation Mechanic Ephraim Eugene Brower, Jr., "Gene" to his
family and friends, passed away September 2, 2012. But he took his final flight in an HC-130 just a few weeks ago.
Brower
was an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Air Force and served in Vietnam. He later joined the U.S. Coast Guard, serving 28 years in the
military and retiring as a USCG Senior Chief Petty Officer. He had a second career with United Airlines as -- no surprise -- an aircraft
mechanic.
The Senior Chief' was a frequent HC-130 flight engineer on a variety of missions, and one of his last wishes was
a final flight on the "Mighty Herc." A CGAS Sacramento aircrew took his ashes on a training flight around the area February
8, 2013. Members of the Chiefs' mess went along and took pictures for Brower's family.