David's parents were married in June, 1917, first in Clinton, Iowa, and then three days later at the groom's home in Moline, Illinois. Given the name David Stephens at birth by his mother, Rosamond Elizabeth Chase-Stephens, David later took the name of his step-father, Claude Hildago MacGowan.
David's mother, Elizabeth, was only 16 years of age when she married David's birth father, "GB," who was from a wealthy Moline, Illinois, family. She was a chorus girl with a musical comedy company in New York when she and GB met. After marrying, the bride and groom lived with his parents in Moline for a period of about 3 months, after which time they moved to Winnemucca, Nevada.
The marriage was not approved of by GB's family. After receiving a telegram that his mother was ill and he was needed at home, GB left Elizabeth in Nevada and traveled back to Moline. He did not return to his bride. Shortly after, she went to Chicago where she had family and friends.
David was born in German Hospital in November, 1917. The marriage was annulled in February, 1918.
In about 1925, Elizabeth married Claude Hidalgo MacGowan, a man employed with Universal Film Co. as an executive. In about 1941 the family took a suite on Madison Avenue.
He attended the University of Virginia where he was an active member in the drama club known as the "Virginia Players." He played Cassuiss in a modern dress version of "Julius Caesar" in 1938. In 1939 he starred as "Death" in the play "Death Takes A Holiday."
David joined the armed forces December 29, 1941. Most of his cadet training was taken at Moody Field in Georgia. It was while he was in Georgia that he was admitted into the "Catepillar Club," a club exclusively for those who saved their lives through the use of a parachute.
(more to come...)
Second Lieutenant MacGowan was the Instructor pilot aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-24E Liberator #41-29032, serving with the 735th Bomb Squadron, 453rd Bomb Group.
While on a training flight out of the Pocatello Army Airfield, he was killed when the bomber struck a mountain thirteen miles south of Dubois, Wyoming.
They had entered a box canyon and when attempting to pull up, the wingtip clipped the mountainside, which resulted in the four-motored bomber crashing and sparking a forest fire. The fire allowed the crash site to be located quickly. But all eleven crew members aboard had perished.
Considerable difficulty accompanied the recovery of the bodies due to the inaccessibility of the terrain. Colonel Miller, Group Commanding Officer, and Major Lloyd, Group Medical Officer, immediately went to the scene of the accident to personally direct and assist in the rescue work. Everything possible was done to alleviate the grief of the relatives of these excellent men. Their lives were given to the service and their contributions will be forever remembered as one of real, substantial and lasting value.
The following is quoted from a letter received from Mrs. Elizabeth C. MacGowan, mother of the Pilot:
“It is with poignant pleasure we read your letter in which you say so many of his friends and comrads were interested in him. Thank them for both of us and for him too. You can be sure if it is possible, that he and the other gallant lads who have given their lives for the Army Air Force, will be flying down the skies ahead of your planes and into combat. They will be there for the skies are eternally theirs.”
The ten other airmen were:
2nd Lt. Royce O Davis
2nd Lt. Alan F Kirschner
2nd Lt. Lyle P Schroeer
T/Sgt. Vernon Leroy Warner
Sgt. Joseph Baiocchi
S/Sgt. Jesse P Bradshaw
S/Sgt. Granville W Hampton
S/Sgt. William G Parkey
S/Sgt. Herbert W. Roberts (CT)
S/Sgt. Chester W Stock
David's mother, Elizabeth, was only 16 years of age when she married David's birth father, "GB," who was from a wealthy Moline, Illinois, family. She was a chorus girl with a musical comedy company in New York when she and GB met. After marrying, the bride and groom lived with his parents in Moline for a period of about 3 months, after which time they moved to Winnemucca, Nevada.
The marriage was not approved of by GB's family. After receiving a telegram that his mother was ill and he was needed at home, GB left Elizabeth in Nevada and traveled back to Moline. He did not return to his bride. Shortly after, she went to Chicago where she had family and friends.
David was born in German Hospital in November, 1917. The marriage was annulled in February, 1918.
In about 1925, Elizabeth married Claude Hidalgo MacGowan, a man employed with Universal Film Co. as an executive. In about 1941 the family took a suite on Madison Avenue.
He attended the University of Virginia where he was an active member in the drama club known as the "Virginia Players." He played Cassuiss in a modern dress version of "Julius Caesar" in 1938. In 1939 he starred as "Death" in the play "Death Takes A Holiday."
David joined the armed forces December 29, 1941. Most of his cadet training was taken at Moody Field in Georgia. It was while he was in Georgia that he was admitted into the "Catepillar Club," a club exclusively for those who saved their lives through the use of a parachute.
(more to come...)
Second Lieutenant MacGowan was the Instructor pilot aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-24E Liberator #41-29032, serving with the 735th Bomb Squadron, 453rd Bomb Group.
While on a training flight out of the Pocatello Army Airfield, he was killed when the bomber struck a mountain thirteen miles south of Dubois, Wyoming.
They had entered a box canyon and when attempting to pull up, the wingtip clipped the mountainside, which resulted in the four-motored bomber crashing and sparking a forest fire. The fire allowed the crash site to be located quickly. But all eleven crew members aboard had perished.
Considerable difficulty accompanied the recovery of the bodies due to the inaccessibility of the terrain. Colonel Miller, Group Commanding Officer, and Major Lloyd, Group Medical Officer, immediately went to the scene of the accident to personally direct and assist in the rescue work. Everything possible was done to alleviate the grief of the relatives of these excellent men. Their lives were given to the service and their contributions will be forever remembered as one of real, substantial and lasting value.
The following is quoted from a letter received from Mrs. Elizabeth C. MacGowan, mother of the Pilot:
“It is with poignant pleasure we read your letter in which you say so many of his friends and comrads were interested in him. Thank them for both of us and for him too. You can be sure if it is possible, that he and the other gallant lads who have given their lives for the Army Air Force, will be flying down the skies ahead of your planes and into combat. They will be there for the skies are eternally theirs.”
The ten other airmen were:
2nd Lt. Royce O Davis
2nd Lt. Alan F Kirschner
2nd Lt. Lyle P Schroeer
T/Sgt. Vernon Leroy Warner
Sgt. Joseph Baiocchi
S/Sgt. Jesse P Bradshaw
S/Sgt. Granville W Hampton
S/Sgt. William G Parkey
S/Sgt. Herbert W. Roberts (CT)
S/Sgt. Chester W Stock
David's parents were married in June, 1917, first in Clinton, Iowa, and then three days later at the groom's home in Moline, Illinois. Given the name David Stephens at birth by his mother, Rosamond Elizabeth Chase-Stephens, David later took the name of his step-father, Claude Hildago MacGowan.
David's mother, Elizabeth, was only 16 years of age when she married David's birth father, "GB," who was from a wealthy Moline, Illinois, family. She was a chorus girl with a musical comedy company in New York when she and GB met. After marrying, the bride and groom lived with his parents in Moline for a period of about 3 months, after which time they moved to Winnemucca, Nevada.
The marriage was not approved of by GB's family. After receiving a telegram that his mother was ill and he was needed at home, GB left Elizabeth in Nevada and traveled back to Moline. He did not return to his bride. Shortly after, she went to Chicago where she had family and friends.
David was born in German Hospital in November, 1917. The marriage was annulled in February, 1918.
In about 1925, Elizabeth married Claude Hidalgo MacGowan, a man employed with Universal Film Co. as an executive. In about 1941 the family took a suite on Madison Avenue.
He attended the University of Virginia where he was an active member in the drama club known as the "Virginia Players." He played Cassuiss in a modern dress version of "Julius Caesar" in 1938. In 1939 he starred as "Death" in the play "Death Takes A Holiday."
David joined the armed forces December 29, 1941. Most of his cadet training was taken at Moody Field in Georgia. It was while he was in Georgia that he was admitted into the "Catepillar Club," a club exclusively for those who saved their lives through the use of a parachute.
(more to come...)
Second Lieutenant MacGowan was the Instructor pilot aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-24E Liberator #41-29032, serving with the 735th Bomb Squadron, 453rd Bomb Group.
While on a training flight out of the Pocatello Army Airfield, he was killed when the bomber struck a mountain thirteen miles south of Dubois, Wyoming.
They had entered a box canyon and when attempting to pull up, the wingtip clipped the mountainside, which resulted in the four-motored bomber crashing and sparking a forest fire. The fire allowed the crash site to be located quickly. But all eleven crew members aboard had perished.
Considerable difficulty accompanied the recovery of the bodies due to the inaccessibility of the terrain. Colonel Miller, Group Commanding Officer, and Major Lloyd, Group Medical Officer, immediately went to the scene of the accident to personally direct and assist in the rescue work. Everything possible was done to alleviate the grief of the relatives of these excellent men. Their lives were given to the service and their contributions will be forever remembered as one of real, substantial and lasting value.
The following is quoted from a letter received from Mrs. Elizabeth C. MacGowan, mother of the Pilot:
“It is with poignant pleasure we read your letter in which you say so many of his friends and comrads were interested in him. Thank them for both of us and for him too. You can be sure if it is possible, that he and the other gallant lads who have given their lives for the Army Air Force, will be flying down the skies ahead of your planes and into combat. They will be there for the skies are eternally theirs.”
The ten other airmen were:
2nd Lt. Royce O Davis
2nd Lt. Alan F Kirschner
2nd Lt. Lyle P Schroeer
T/Sgt. Vernon Leroy Warner
Sgt. Joseph Baiocchi
S/Sgt. Jesse P Bradshaw
S/Sgt. Granville W Hampton
S/Sgt. William G Parkey
S/Sgt. Herbert W. Roberts (CT)
S/Sgt. Chester W Stock
David's mother, Elizabeth, was only 16 years of age when she married David's birth father, "GB," who was from a wealthy Moline, Illinois, family. She was a chorus girl with a musical comedy company in New York when she and GB met. After marrying, the bride and groom lived with his parents in Moline for a period of about 3 months, after which time they moved to Winnemucca, Nevada.
The marriage was not approved of by GB's family. After receiving a telegram that his mother was ill and he was needed at home, GB left Elizabeth in Nevada and traveled back to Moline. He did not return to his bride. Shortly after, she went to Chicago where she had family and friends.
David was born in German Hospital in November, 1917. The marriage was annulled in February, 1918.
In about 1925, Elizabeth married Claude Hidalgo MacGowan, a man employed with Universal Film Co. as an executive. In about 1941 the family took a suite on Madison Avenue.
He attended the University of Virginia where he was an active member in the drama club known as the "Virginia Players." He played Cassuiss in a modern dress version of "Julius Caesar" in 1938. In 1939 he starred as "Death" in the play "Death Takes A Holiday."
David joined the armed forces December 29, 1941. Most of his cadet training was taken at Moody Field in Georgia. It was while he was in Georgia that he was admitted into the "Catepillar Club," a club exclusively for those who saved their lives through the use of a parachute.
(more to come...)
Second Lieutenant MacGowan was the Instructor pilot aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-24E Liberator #41-29032, serving with the 735th Bomb Squadron, 453rd Bomb Group.
While on a training flight out of the Pocatello Army Airfield, he was killed when the bomber struck a mountain thirteen miles south of Dubois, Wyoming.
They had entered a box canyon and when attempting to pull up, the wingtip clipped the mountainside, which resulted in the four-motored bomber crashing and sparking a forest fire. The fire allowed the crash site to be located quickly. But all eleven crew members aboard had perished.
Considerable difficulty accompanied the recovery of the bodies due to the inaccessibility of the terrain. Colonel Miller, Group Commanding Officer, and Major Lloyd, Group Medical Officer, immediately went to the scene of the accident to personally direct and assist in the rescue work. Everything possible was done to alleviate the grief of the relatives of these excellent men. Their lives were given to the service and their contributions will be forever remembered as one of real, substantial and lasting value.
The following is quoted from a letter received from Mrs. Elizabeth C. MacGowan, mother of the Pilot:
“It is with poignant pleasure we read your letter in which you say so many of his friends and comrads were interested in him. Thank them for both of us and for him too. You can be sure if it is possible, that he and the other gallant lads who have given their lives for the Army Air Force, will be flying down the skies ahead of your planes and into combat. They will be there for the skies are eternally theirs.”
The ten other airmen were:
2nd Lt. Royce O Davis
2nd Lt. Alan F Kirschner
2nd Lt. Lyle P Schroeer
T/Sgt. Vernon Leroy Warner
Sgt. Joseph Baiocchi
S/Sgt. Jesse P Bradshaw
S/Sgt. Granville W Hampton
S/Sgt. William G Parkey
S/Sgt. Herbert W. Roberts (CT)
S/Sgt. Chester W Stock
Inscription
2LT, 453 AAF BOMB GP WORLD WAR II
Gravesite Details
David is buried near his mother and step-father.
Family Members
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