JOHN O. COWL

COWL, STEWART

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 3/29/2002 at 19:01:39

Decatur County Journal
Thursday, January 27, l92l

MRS. F.S. STEWART and son, RALPH, were present at the interment of MRS. STEWART's brother, JOHN O. COWL, at the Arlington National Cemetery on January l5th.
MRS. STEWART returned home last Saturday. RALPH went to Ithica, New York, for a visit with friends. From there he expected to go to Chicago and Lake Forrest before returning to Leon.

Fourteen bodies of Naval and Marine Corps dead arrived at the Arlington National Cemetery on January l5th, having been returned from overseas on the U.S.S. Ramapo. These bodies, the caskets draped with the national colors, were placed in the memorial vault until the afternoon, when reinterment took place in the overseas section of the cemetery at 2 o'clock p.m. with full military honors. JOHN O. COWL, of Leon, brother of MRS. F.S. STEWART, was one of the fourteen. He was a Marine being a Private in the 83rd Co., 6th Regiment. One hundred Marines and a company of blue jackets were in attendance at the interment and fired the salutes and sounded taps. The U.S. Marine Band also had a place in the impressive ceremonies.

As the interment occurred, the flags that draped the caskets were drawn back so that the next of kin who had come to be present at the reinterment, could see the name plate. There were many beautiful floral offerings sent by officers and men of the Marine Corps.

JOHN O. COWL now rests in the Arlington Cemetery. He gave his life for his country and the memory of this heroic young man will ever linger with our people. The local Legion Post has adopted the title of "John O. Cowl Post No. 80 of the American Legion" in honor of the lad who sacrificed his life in the cause of democracy in the great war so recently ended. He was their comrade and friend. He was wounded June 6, l9l8, at the battle of Ballou Woods, one of the deciding struggles of the great war. He died July l6, l9l8, at a hospital near Paris.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
March 20, 2002