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Albert Jesse Bowley Sr.

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Albert Jesse Bowley Sr. (November 24, 1875 – May 23, 1945) was a Lieutenant General in the United States Army. He was the son of First Lieutenant Freeman S. Bowley, who served in the Civil War with the 30th United States Colored Infantry.

Albert Jesse Bowley Sr.
Albert Jesse Bowley
BornNovember 24, 1875 (1875-11-24)
Westminster, California
DiedMay 23, 1945 (1945-05-24) (aged 69)
Northumberland County, Virginia
Place of burial
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1897–1939
Rank Lieutenant General
Service number0-256
CommandsFourth United States Army
Third Corps Area
Fifth Corps Area
Hawaiian Division
Eighth Corps Area (Acting)
2nd Infantry Division
Fourth Corps Area (Acting)
Fort Bragg
VI Corps Artillery
2nd Field Artillery Brigade
17th Field Artillery Regiment
Battles/warsSpanish–American War
World War I
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal

Early career

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Senior officers of the U.S. 2nd Division at the front showing a Japanese delegation the enemy's position of the sector of the map. Brigadier General Albert J. Bowley is stood second on the left, while Marine Major General John A. Lejeune, commanding the 2nd Division, is sat third on the right.

Bowley was born on November 24, 1875, in Westminster, California, the son of Freeman Sparks Bowley and Flora Ella Pepper Bowley. His sister was actress Flora Juliet Bowley.[1] He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1897 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Artillery. He served in the Philippines during the Spanish–American War.[2][3]

Between the Spanish–American War and World War I, Bowley served in a variety of command and staff assignments, including commander of a coast artillery company at Fort Greble, Rhode Island, aide-de-camp to Major General Frederick Dent Grant and military attaché in China. He also served on the Mexican border during the Punitive Expedition in pursuit of Pancho Villa of 1916 to 1917.[4]

During World War I, Bowley successively commanded the 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, and VI Corps Artillery, additionally attaining the temporary rank of brigadier general in June 1918, and receiving the Army Distinguished Service Medal,[4] The citation for which reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Albert J. Bowley, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. General Bowley commanded the 17th Field Artillery, and later the 2d Field Artillery Brigade, in the active operations from July to November 1918. The artillery support under his direction in the engagements near Chateau-Thierry, near Soissons, those in the St. Mihiel salient, Blanc Mont Ridge, and in the Meuse-Argonne region were important factors in the great successes gained.[5]

Post World War I

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In August 1919, Bowley reverted to his permanent rank of colonel. In 1920, he graduated from the United States Army War College. Bowley accepted a permanent promotion to brigadier general in May 1921.[6] In 1921, he became commander of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, a post he held until 1928.[4] During this assignment, Bowley was responsible for Fort Bragg's expansion into one of the Army's largest installations. While there, he also served as acting commander of the Fourth Corps Area four times between January 1925 and October 1927.[7]

Bowley commanded the 2nd Infantry Division from March 1928 to April 1929, and was assigned as temporary commander of the Eighth Corps Area from April to December 1928.[7] From 1929 to 1931 he was the Army's Assistant Army Chief of Staff for Personnel, G-1. In 1931, he was promoted to major general and was assigned to command the US Army's Hawaiian Division, where he remained until 1934. Bowley commanded the Fifth Corps Area from 1934 to 1935, and the Third Corps Area from 1935 to 1938. He was then commander of Fourth Army and Ninth Corps Area.[4] He was promoted to lieutenant general on August 5, 1939, when the four Army commanders were temporarily promoted to the reestablished grade and title of lieutenant general,[8] and served until he reached the mandatory retirement age of 64 on November 24 of the same year.

Death and legacy

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General Bowley died at his summer home in Northumberland County, Virginia, on May 22, 1945,[2] and was interred in Section 3 Grave Site 1997-A of Arlington National Cemetery.[9]

He was a hereditary companion of the California Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States by right of inheritance from his father was a veteran companion of the Order.

Awards

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Below is Lieutenant General Bowley's ribbon bar:

   
       
     
     
1st Row Army Distinguished Service Medal
2nd Row Spanish Campaign Medal Army of Cuban Occupation Medal Philippine Campaign Medal Mexican Border Service Medal
3rd Row World War I Victory Medal with five battle clasps Army of Occupation of Germany Medal American Defense Service Medal Officier de la Légion d'honneur
4th Row French Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with Palm and Gilt Star Commander of the Order of St. Olav Order of the White Elephant, 4th Class Medalla de la Solidaridad

Dates of rank

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No insignia Cadet, United States Military Academy: June 15, 1893
No insignia in 1897 Second Lieutenant, Regular Army: June 11, 1897
  First Lieutenant, Regular Army: March 2, 1899
  Captain, Regular Army: August 1, 1901
  Major, Regular Army: February 9, 1912
  Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army: July 1, 1916
  Colonel, Regular Army: May 15, 1917
  Brigadier General, National Army: June 26, 1918
  Colonel, Regular Army: August 15, 1919
  Brigadier General, Regular Army: April 19, 1921
  Major General, Regular Army: February 20, 1931
  Lieutenant General, Regular Army: August 5, 1939
  Lieutenant General, Retired List: November 24, 1939

References

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  1. ^ Bowley, Freeman Sparks (1997). A Boy Lieutenant: Memoirs of Freeman S. Bowley, a 30th United States Colored Troops Officer. Sergeant Kirkland's Museum and Historical Society. ISBN 978-1-887901-01-7.
  2. ^ a b Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 46. ISBN 1571970886. OCLC 40298151.
  3. ^ Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy, by George Washington Cullum, Volume V, 1910, page 576
  4. ^ a b c d Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 46. ISBN 1571970886. OCLC 40298151.
  5. ^ "Valor awards for Albert Jesse Bowley". Military Times.
  6. ^ Official Army Register. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. January 1, 1941. p. 982. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b Clay, Stephen E. (2010). US Army Order of Battle 1919–1941 (PDF). Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: Combat Studies Institute Press. pp. 40, 65, 208. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  8. ^ "About this Collection | United States Statutes at Large | Digital Collections | Library of Congress" (PDF). The Library of Congress.
  9. ^ "Albert Jesse Bowley, Lieutenant General, United States Army". 5 June 2023.

Bibliography

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