Grover Bowen was the son of Emma E. Bitterman and Grover C. Bowen. Available records reflect that he married Eleanor F. Mayer (daughter of Matilda Gillard and Ernest Mayer) on 16 Aug 1941 in Lincoln County, Montana. A few days later, he entered the Army Air Force on 19 Aug 1942 at Butte, Montana.
Based upon the rank reflected on his tombstone, he likely entered the aviation cadet program but, like many others of the time, was unable to complete that training. He did complete aerial gunnery school and had the rank of Sergeant. By early summer of 1944 he was stationed in England, assigned to the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group (H), at Kimbolton Field.
On 12 July 1944, Sergeant Bowen was the Nose Gunner/Togglier on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission at Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, the aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Sgt Bowen, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt Robert H. Webber (Co-Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). The lone survivor of the crash, Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Sergeant Bowen's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Based upon the rank reflected on his tombstone, he likely entered the aviation cadet program but, like many others of the time, was unable to complete that training. He did complete aerial gunnery school and had the rank of Sergeant. By early summer of 1944 he was stationed in England, assigned to the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group (H), at Kimbolton Field.
On 12 July 1944, Sergeant Bowen was the Nose Gunner/Togglier on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission at Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, the aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Sgt Bowen, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt Robert H. Webber (Co-Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). The lone survivor of the crash, Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Sergeant Bowen's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Grover Bowen was the son of Emma E. Bitterman and Grover C. Bowen. Available records reflect that he married Eleanor F. Mayer (daughter of Matilda Gillard and Ernest Mayer) on 16 Aug 1941 in Lincoln County, Montana. A few days later, he entered the Army Air Force on 19 Aug 1942 at Butte, Montana.
Based upon the rank reflected on his tombstone, he likely entered the aviation cadet program but, like many others of the time, was unable to complete that training. He did complete aerial gunnery school and had the rank of Sergeant. By early summer of 1944 he was stationed in England, assigned to the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group (H), at Kimbolton Field.
On 12 July 1944, Sergeant Bowen was the Nose Gunner/Togglier on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission at Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, the aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Sgt Bowen, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt Robert H. Webber (Co-Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). The lone survivor of the crash, Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Sergeant Bowen's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Based upon the rank reflected on his tombstone, he likely entered the aviation cadet program but, like many others of the time, was unable to complete that training. He did complete aerial gunnery school and had the rank of Sergeant. By early summer of 1944 he was stationed in England, assigned to the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group (H), at Kimbolton Field.
On 12 July 1944, Sergeant Bowen was the Nose Gunner/Togglier on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission at Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, the aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Sgt Bowen, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt Robert H. Webber (Co-Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). The lone survivor of the crash, Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Sergeant Bowen's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Inscription
Note: The marker erroneously reflects a rank of Aviation Cadet because the wrong military discharge transcript was used. This error was not unusual for those airmen who did not complete pilot training.
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