Bowman, Howard Alton
BOWMAN, TUEL
Posted By: Nettie Mae (email)
Date: 5/22/2025 at 09:07:22
(Although he was born in Canada, his parents are buried in Carroll County, Iowa.)
**Howard Alton Bowman (1919–1941): A Life Remembered Amid History’s Turning Point**
Howard Alton Bowman was born on September 29, 1919, at the cusp of a new American century. His early years were shaped by the aftermath of World War I and the transformative 1920s, followed by the stark hardships of the Great Depression. Like many young men of his generation, Howard came of age during uncertain times—times that would eventually call upon his courage and sacrifice.
Howard answered that call by enlisting in the United States Navy. He attained the rank of Seaman Second Class (S2c), a testament to his commitment and discipline. His service would ultimately place him aboard one of the most iconic vessels in American naval history: the **USS Arizona (BB-39)**.
Commissioned in 1916, the USS *Arizona* was a Pennsylvania-class battleship named in honor of the 48th state. She served as a proud symbol of American maritime power throughout the interwar years, participating in fleet exercises and naval reviews. By 1940, she was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet—a forward positioning aimed at deterring the growing threat posed by Imperial Japan.
That threat materialized with stunning ferocity on the morning of **December 7, 1941**.
In a meticulously planned surprise attack, Japanese forces launched a devastating aerial assault on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. The USS *Arizona* became one of the earliest and most tragic casualties of the day. At approximately 8:06 a.m., the ship was struck by an armor-piercing bomb that ignited her forward ammunition magazines. The resulting explosion shattered the vessel and claimed the lives of 1,177 officers and crewmen—nearly half of the total lives lost in the attack.
Among them was **Howard Alton Bowman**, just 22 years old.
The attack on Pearl Harbor would propel the United States into World War II, changing the course of global history. But behind the headlines and historic turning points are stories like Howard’s—young men who left home with a sense of purpose and duty, never to return.
Howard is now honored at the **USS Arizona Memorial** in Honolulu, Hawaii, which straddles the sunken remains of the battleship. The memorial stands not only as a site of national mourning but as a lasting tribute to the individual valor and sacrifice of those who gave their lives that day.
As we remember Howard Bowman, we do so with reverence—not only for the role he played in a defining moment of the 20th century but for the life he lived, however brief, in service to his country.
Source: WikiTree contributors, "Howard Alton Bowman (1919-1941)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bowman-16936 : accessed 22 May 2025).
Howard Alton Bowman
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