John J. Bowe Jr.

John J. Bowe Jr.

I was born on November 28, 1924 at Monroe, Virginia in Amherst County. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy on May 20, 1943 at Danbury, North Carolina. I went to Boot Camp at Bainbridge, Maryland; attended Arm Guard School at Little Creek, Virginia and upon completion was sent to Arm Guard Center at Brooklyn, New York.

I served as a Gunner on the Merchant Ships S.S. Atlantic and the S.S. Carole Lombard. I went aboard the U.S.S. Nassau (CVE-16) n February of 1945. It was a great honor to serve on that great ship in the V-l Division working on the Flight Deck assisting the aircraft in landings and takeoffs.

We crossed the Equator on May 16, 1945, making me a full-fledged "shell back," as we were on our way to Guam and Okinawa in a typhoon. I had a good Christmas dinner on the Nassau in 1945.

I was Honorably Discharged from the Navy on February 14, 1946 after having served two years and nine months. I married Ann Speas on August 30, 1960. We did not have any children. I wish to Thank The Lord for being so good to me, His Blessings, and bringing me back home from the war, safe and sound, and in good health after serving in The Greatest Navy in The World And Proud Of It.