Browne, Ralph C.

Ralph C. Browne, Salem inventor, was known as the "man who won the war." The North Sea Mine Barrage, made possible by the invention of the antenna mine by Ralph Browne primarily responsible for the collapse of Germany in World War I. The allies were able to mine the waters between Norway and Scotland, and prevent the Kaiser's U-Boats from preying on Allied shipping.

Ralph Browne was born in Salem in 1880 and grew up on St. Peter Street. He was educated in Salem schools and after graduating from high school pursued a career in the growing field of electricity. Among Browne's many inventions in areas of electricity, magnetism and telephony was the portable X-ray machine.

After Germany surrendered on Nov. 11, 1918, Browne moved to 123 Federal St. and lived a productive and quiet life until his death in 1959.