John Reagan Browning was born on January 23, 1923, in Brownsboro, Henderson County, Texas. He was the son of Kenneth Earl Browning Sr. and Leila I. Reagan Browning. He graduated from Brownsboro High School and attended North Texas Agricultural College in Arlington for two years. He was studying geology at the University of Texas, intending to become a petroleum geologist, when he entered military service on February 19, 1943. He trained at gunnery schools in Colorado, Arizona, and Iowa. He served with the 614th Bomber Squadron, 401st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Corporal and Waist Gunner of B-17 #42-97872, nicknamed "Rosie's Sweat Box" during World War II.

On September 17, 1944, the crew of Rosie’s Sweat Box, B-17G 42-97872 (IW-A), prepared to fly from Deenethorpe, England, on a mission supporting the Allied airborne landings in the Netherlands. Their target was a wooded area near Groesbeek where German tanks and gun positions had been reported. Fifty-one crews of the 401st Bomb Group had been briefed before dawn. Piloted by 2nd Lt. Francis E. Cooke, Rosie’s Sweat Box stalled during takeoff. It failed to clear the hedge beyond the runway and crashed near the Weldon–Oundle road at about 6:06 a.m., roughly 750 yards past the runway’s end. Its fuel and fragmentation bombs exploded. Eight airmen died in the crash; tail gunner Cpl. Walter J. Ambrogetti was found alive but died of his injuries later that day. All nine crew members were lost before the aircraft reached the Netherlands.

Cpl Browning is now buried in the Rock Hill Cemetery, Brownsboro, Henderson County, Texas, USA.

Sources of information: www.findagrave.com, 401bg.org