Mark Brannon was born in January 1917 in Augusta, Kansas, the third of six children in the family of a man who was in oil rig building business. The Brannons moved around a lot because of that but Brannon grew up mostly in Fort Worth, Texas. Brannon was old enough to understand that the Great Depression affected everyone financially, and remembered many days when people begged for food at their back door and jobless men slept in the town square. Living through those times made Brannon a "thrifty" man when he grew up. While he was in school, he studied history, but wasn't greatly concerned with the political situation in Europe until 1939 when Germany was on the move, nor had he paid much attention to Japan's ambitions until shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. But after registering for the draft, and sensing war was eminent, Brannon wanted to choose the branch of service in which he would serve. In 1941, he attempted to join the Army Air Forces, but was rejected because of his eyesight; he then applied for a spot in the Navy's V-7 program [Annotator’s Note: V-7 US Navy College Training Program, 1940 to 1945]. Meanwhile, Brannon graduated from the University of Texas [Annotator's Note: in Austin, Texas] with a degree in petroleum engineering. In July 1941, he received orders to report to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on 9 January 1942.

Between graduating from college and beginning the program at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Mark Brannon was working in the oil business in Kermit, Texas. On Sunday, 7 December 1941, he was having dinner in a restaurant when his boss informed him and his coworkers of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. Like everyone else, Brannon was shocked. The citizenry of the little town of Kermit went on high alert. Rumors were rampant that the Japanese would invade the United States, and the community organized an armed group to guard the city’s water tower. Brannon was already committed to the armed forces and, in January 1942, he reported to the Naval Academy for three months of midshipman training. He already knew much of what he had to study and finished second in his class of about 700 prospective officers. He was commissioned an ensign in the Naval Reserve on 15 May 1942. After graduation he was retained at the Naval Academy for a month as an instructor. He then got orders to report to Harvard University [Annotator's Note: in Cambridge, Massachusetts] to help inaugurate a program that re-educated higher-ranking officers on naval regulations. Brannon said the course went fine, and he was engaged there for about sixty days. Then Brannon received orders to report to the Boston Navy Yard in Massachusetts where he was assigned to the USS Hutchins (DD-476), a new Fletcher Class destroyer still under construction.

While waiting for the ship [Annotator's Note: USS Hutchins (DD-476)] to be commissioned, Mark Brannon learned that he was going to be one of three assistant engineers aboard ship. He had never been on a ship before, but he went on board, and learned a lot about the ship even before it was considered seaworthy. The standard complement on that type ship was 306, and although there was never a full staff on board, the men who started coming on early attended classes on firefighting and gunnery. Brannon was sent to antisubmarine school in Key West, Florida where he trained on sonar, and learned how to calibrate the Hutchins' depth charge catapults. Brannon did well in the course, and was congratulated by his captain [Annotator's Note: then US Navy Lieutenant Commander, later Rear Admiral, Edwin Warren Herron] for his high marks and innovative suggestions. Once the ship was completed, its shipbuilders took it out on a shakedown cruise in the Atlantic. A lot of the rooky sailors were seasick, but the ship performed well, and was put into service in the spring of 1943.

After a trip to Guantanamo Bay [Annotator's Note: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba] and back in the newly commissioned USS Hutchins (DD-476), Mark Brannon recalled that they escorted a pair of oil tankers from Virginia to Galveston, Texas. During his duty tours, Brannon was a junior deck officer, and while on watch he and another seaman spotted something burning, and by the time the greenhorns got the captain [Annotator's Note: then US Navy Lieutenant Commander, later Rear Admiral, Edwin Warren Herron] on deck, they realized it was the moon rising on the horizon. The ships stopped in the Port of Houston for the tankers to unload, and his captain allowed Brannon two days' leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time] to see his family. It was his first time home in about a year. Afterward, the Hutchins took the tankers to Panama, where it left them waiting for passage through the Canal, and proceeded, alone, to the west coast, up to San Diego, California, and on to the Solomon Islands. While in the Solomon Islands, the Hutchins swapped one of its five inch guns with a damaged gun from another destroyer that was set to remain in the Solomons. The Hutchins returned to Honolulu [Annotator's Note: Honolulu, Hawaii] to be fitted with a CIC, or combat information center, and a replacement for the broken gun it had traded out. After the installations were completed at Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii], the Hutchins conducted a live fire exercise to make sure everything worked. The ship fired a full salvo from one side, and turned around to fire from the other. As the guns were swinging through their turn from one side to the other, one of them went off, hitting the stack. The accident killed and wounded numerous sailors, one of whom was positioned right next to Brannon. After getting that man to medical care, Brannon went back on deck to a scene of carnage, and it was a vision he would never forget. One sailor's arm was blown off, and he called out, "Oh Mr. Brannon, don't let me die." But Brannon could do little for him. The dead were buried in the American cemetery in what is known as the "Punchbowl" [Annotator's Note: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl Crater, Honolulu, Hawaii] above the base. Brannon said the memory wore on him for a long time, until it became unreal.

After repairs to the ship were complete, Mark Brannon said the USS Hutchins (DD-746) stopped at San Diego, California for a few hours. There, Brannon had to refuse a disgruntled machinist who wanted to leave the ship without a pass. The man tried to get a pass from two other officers who refused him as well, and the captain [Annotator's Note: then US Navy Lieutenant Commander, later Rear Admiral, Edwin Warren Herron] came to Brannon and told him to shoot the man if he attempted to leave again. Thankfully, the sailor gave up his quest. The Hutchins continued on its mission, escorting eight LCIs [Annotator's Note: Landing Craft, Infantry] to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. It was a slow but beautiful run, filled with sea life. While in the north, the Hutchins' first operation was to take part in the landings at Kiska in the Aleutian Islands. But the Japanese had already abandoned their positions there, so they spent several weeks patrolling the area and watching for downed aviators. Brannon said he experienced some of the worst weather he ever knew while he was there, and the waters were littered with enemy mines that came loose in the rough seas. The Hutchins was in the Aleutians for about six weeks.

From the Aleutians, Mark Brannon and the USS Hutchins (DD-746) went back to Hawaii then on to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Under orders from General MacArthur [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area], Destroyer Group 75 was formed, consisting of three cruisers and 16 destroyers, and called themselves "MacArthur's Navy." Brannon explained how the Hutchins operated between New Guinea and New Britain for a while and began preparing to chase the Japs [Annotator's Note: a period derogatory term for Japanese] in the direction of the Philippines. On Christmas Day 1943, the USS Hutchins covered an unopposed landing of Marines. As the troops moved inland, however, they came under intense fire and called for support from the ships offshore. The Hutchins was among several ships, including the USS Brownson (DD-518), that responded. By this time, Brannon had been promoted to chief engineer, and was in the engine room, communicating through a talker with the bridge. The USS Hutchins was experiencing her first large-scale enemy air attack, and the talker informed Brannon that the destroyer Brownson had been hit and was rapidly sinking. Brannon emerged from the hatch in time to see the Brownson's bow and stern in the air; its middle had already disappeared into the sea. Brannon reckoned it was one of the first Japanese suicide bombings. He went on to say that the Hutchins' gunners managed to down some of the enemy aircraft and helped chase the others away. Brannon goes on to describe the workings of a destroyer's engine room.

After the landings at Cape Gloucester [Annotator's Note: Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Papua New Guinea], Mark Brannon recalled heading for the Admiralties to deliver troops to Manus Island, and on the way back another major event took place. At some point during the night, the commodore of the attack force ordered the ships to spread out and when they did, another destroyer cut across the bow of the USS Hutchins (DD-746). The damage was fairly severe and the Hutchins was forced to fall out of the convoy and head to Cairns, Australia for repairs. While the ship was in the floating dry dock at Cairns, all hands were required to participate in chipping the hull. At this time, the Hutchins got a new commanding officer [Annotator's Note: US Navy Commander Caleb Barrett Laning] that Brannon liked and respected. After leaving Cairns, the Hutchins was operating off the coast of New Guinea one night and could see Japanese trucks moving down a coastal road. Some the trucks had their lights on, giving the gunners aboard Hutchins an easy target, and they decimated the enemy column as they steamed by. Later, when bombers were attacking Truk Island, the Hutchins was sent to look for a downed aviator in a rubber boat. A PBY [Annotator's Note: Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat] was sent to help, and located the men. The Hutchins picked them up and brought them back to Manus.

Flashing back, Mark Brannon said that after the USS Hutchins (DD-746) left Cairns, Australia the captain [Annotator's Note: US Navy Commander Caleb Barrett Laning] called him up to the bridge and after some discussion made him the ship's torpedo officer. Carrying on with his narrative, Brannon said the next big event for the USS Hutchins was the invasion of Biak [Annotator's Note: Biak, Indonesia]. While covering the landing, the Hutchins got very close in to shore and was sprayed by a 20mm gun from the shore. There was no real damage, and after the troops were on the ground, the ship pulled back out to sea. Later during this same operation, the Hutchins was hit again, and Brannon suspected the shot might have come from a cruiser among his own attack force whose history included shooting down 21 American aircraft off the coast of Italy. The projectile that hit the Hutchins went through its potato locker, knocked a big hole in the mast, and passed through another compartment before exploding on the outside. Minor repairs were made the next day. During this same operation, the Hutchins took off after a pair of Japanese destroyers that were pulling supply barges, but the chase was called off before the enemy vessels could be caught.

When the assignment at Biak [Annotator's Note: Biak, Indonesia] was completed, Mark Brannon and the USS Hutchins (DD-746) went back to General MacArthur's [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area] base at Manus [Annotator's Note: Manus Island, Papua New Guinea], to get ready for the landing at Leyte [Annotator's Note: Leyte, Philippines]. But before that, and after Hollandia [Annotator's Note: Hollandia, Papua New Guinea], the Hutchins steamed to Sydney, Australia where the crew went on shore leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time] in rotation. Brannon and some of the other officers rented space from an older couple that operated their home like a bed and breakfast. Brannon enjoyed the short break. He went horseback riding, caught a glimpse of Jack Benny [Annotator's Note: born Benjamin Kubelsky; American entertainer and comedian] in a hotel lobby, and saw Bob Hope [Annotator's Note: Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope; American entertainer] in a restaurant. The Australian girls liked the Americans very much. Brannon remembered that a sailor had to apply to his captain if he wanted to get married, and there was a waiting period of six months before the nuptials could be performed. When the Hutchins left Australia, there were 25 or 30 applications for marriage, and as far as Brannon knew, there were no weddings. When their time in Sydney was up, he and his fellow crewmen returned to duty.

Next, the USS Hutchins (DD-746) took part in the landings on the Philippine island of Leyte, and Mark Brannon mentioned that the cruisers went in first to clear the mines in the bay. He thought it laughable that there was one lone Japanese fighter high in the air, and about a third of the fleet commenced firing 20mm guns at it, although none of their shots could possibly reach it. "Believe me," Brannon said, "you want to have your helmet on," so as not to get "hit with your own stuff." Brannon also talked about a native family that survived an incredible bombing barrage, and how three groups of American "baby" carriers supported the invasion. After the successful landings, the master plan included a pincer attack that would trap the remaining Japanese ships. The 5th Fleet was to protect the north end of Surigao Strait, and Admiral Kinkaid's [Annotator's Note: US Navy Admiral Thomas Cassin Kinkaid] 9th Fleet was to come from the south. Japanese submarines sunk some of the ships, but the destroyer divisions retaliated. Brannon goes on to describe the techniques employed by a torpedo officer and the type of ammunition they used. When the Japanese entered the Hutchins' section of the strait, Brannon fired a spread of torpedoes at several thousand yards but did not observe any results. His captain took the ship in closer to the enemy fleet, Brannon fired his second spread of torpedoes, and this time he was certain that his torpedoes hit home. Brannon went on to describe the fierce Battle of Surigao Strait, which was part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf.

During the Battle of Surigao Strait, Mark Brannon said the USS Hutchins (DD-746) had spent almost all of its ammunition. When scouts detected a Japanese carrier force to the north of Leyte, all of the fleet carriers and fast battleships took off after it, leaving the Hutchins to guard Admiral Kinkaid's [Annotator's Note: US Navy Admiral Thomas Cassin Kinkaid] headquarters ship operating off Leyte. The ships were under sporadic air attacks and responded with antiaircraft fire. After the battle, the USS Hutchins was ordered to escort a pair of damaged escort carriers, USS Santee (CVE-29) and USS Sangamon (CVE-26), back to Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii] after which Hutchins was to return to San Francisco, California for a major overhaul. During the voyage to Pearl Harbor, Brannon was informed that his father had been killed in a work place fire. Brannon was upset, especially considering the type of death his father died. When the Hutchins arrived in California, Brannon was given a 30 day leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time] to go home. The reunion with his mother was sad, and the time on leave was hard on Brannon. Since he was the only member of his family who knew how to run his late father's business, Brannon ended up working 28 out of the 30 days he was at home. During his leave, Brannon wrote the Navy and requested that he be released from active duty. Knowing it would take time for the Navy to make a decision, he returned to the Hutchins when his leave was up.

When the overhaul on the USS Hutchins (DD-746) was complete, Mark Brannon took off for its next assignment, operating off Saipan [Annotator's Note: Saipan, Mariana Islands] for some time, and preparing for the invasion of Iwo Jima [Annotator's Note: Iwo Jima, Japan]. During this time, Brannon received orders to report to the 8th Naval District in New Orleans [Annotator's Note: New Orleans, Louisiana]. With the invasion rapidly approaching, his captain decided that Brannon was essential to the ship's upcoming mission, and couldn't leave immediately; the Hutchins was assigned to transport rockets from ammunition ships to the escort carriers whose planes were supporting the Marines ashore. From his ship's position, Brannon could see the troops landing on Iwo Jima, and although he did not see the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi, he saw it silhouetted against the sunrise the morning after it was hoisted. After their task was completed, the USS Hutchins returned to Ulithi [Annotator's Note: Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands] where Brannon was released to fulfill his orders. Transport back to the United States was difficult to find, and it took 17 days for him to reach San Diego, California. While he was traveling, he learned that President Roosevelt [Annotator's Note: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States] had died, and Brannon admitted that he didn't know who his successor would be. He also admitted that leaving the USS Hutchins was much harder than he expected. It had become his home. And, only five days after he left it, he learned that a suicide boat had hit the Hutchins. Although there were no casualties on board, the ship was disabled. It limped back to Seattle [Annotator's Note: Seattle, Washington] and wound up in the scrap pile.

Mark Brannon was given a 30 day terminal leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time], then officially separated from service on 5 June 1945 as a Lieutenant. After he was home, he was awarded a Bronze Star [Annotator's Note: the Bronze Star Medal is the fourth-highest award a United States service member can receive for a heroic or meritorious deed performed in a conflict with an armed enemy] for his action in the Battle of Surigao Strait. He is humble about his contribution, and said he was only doing what he was supposed to do. He was home when the war ended, and Brannon remembers the papers being full of the celebrations in New York[Annotator's Note: New York, New York], but he said that once the atomic bombs had been dropped, everyone knew the struggle was over. Brannon took advantage of the G.I. Bill for civilian pilot training after his discharge, and said he had no problems returning to civilian life. He lived with his widowed mother while he took care of the family oil business, and was too busy to even date the girls.

The Second World War experience that stands out most in Mark Brannon's mind was being on a destroyer, a position that he had envisioned for himself and requested. On reflection, he said he joined the Navy because he thought the German system was evil, and he didn't want to live under the conditions that would prevail if Hitler [Annotator's Note: German dictator Adolf Hitler] was successful. He knows the three and a half years he spent in the Navy changed his life, and during that time he made decisions based on his conviction that his future was uncertain. Having lost friends in battle, Brannon is grateful that he came out alive, and that things turned out well for him in his postwar life. He said he has a great family and a great life and feels he is among the lucky ones.