Albert Jesse Bowley Sr.

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
Commands heldHawaiian Division
III Corps
Fourth United States Army
Battles/warsSpanish–American War
World War I
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal

Early career

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, attaining the rank of brigadier general in 1918, and receiving the Distinguished Service Medal.[4]

Post World War I

In 1921, Bowley became commander of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, a post he held until 1928.[4] During this assignment, he was responsible for Fort Bragg's expansion into one of the Army's largest installations.

Bowley was assigned as temporary commander of VIII Corps 1928, and he commanded the 2nd Infantry Division from 1928 to 1929. 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,[5] and served until he reached the mandatory retirement age of 64 on November 24 of the same year.

Death and legacy

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.[6]

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

The Ribbon bar of Lieutenant General Bowley:
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

Citation for Distinguished Service Medal:

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.

Service: Army; Rank: Brigadier General; War Department, General Orders No. 59 (1919)[7]

Dates of rank
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
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References
  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. Davis Jr., Henry Blaine (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. Davis Jr., Henry Blaine (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 46. ISBN 1571970886. OCLC 40298151.
  5. https://www.loc.gov/law/help/statutes-at-large/76th-congress/session-1/c76s1ch454.pdf
  6. "Albert Jesse Bowley, Lieutenant General, United States Army".
  7. "Valor awards for Albert Jesse Bowley". Military Times.
Bibliography
  • Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy, by George Washington Cullum, Volume V, 1910 OCLC 1417240
  • The Chicago Blue Book of Selected Names of Chicago and Suburban Towns, published by The Chicago Directory Company, 1909, page 103
  • Davis Jr., Henry Blaine (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. ISBN 1571970886. OCLC 40298151.
  • Clark, George B. (2007). The Second Infantry Division in World War I. McFarland. ISBN 9780786429608.
  • Commendations of Second Division, American Expeditionary Forces, published by Second Division Association, 1919
  • U.S. Army Recruiting News, U.S. Army Adjutant General's Office, 1931
  • The Chicago Daily News Almanac and Year Book for 1937, published by Chicago Daily News, 1937, page 214
  • U.S. Army Directory, U.S. Army Adjutant General's Office, 1939
  • "Gen. A.J. Bowley Dead In Virginia," New York Times, May 24, 1945, http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E15FD3E5F1B7B93C6AB178ED85F418485F9
  • U.S. Air Force General Officer Biographies, Albert J. Bowley Jr., https://web.archive.org/web/20090910215827/http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio_print.asp?bioID=4752&page=1
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