Obituary of John H. Bowser

BOWSER, John H. of Glen Cove, NY on September 7, 2024 at Age 103.  Retired U.S. Air Force Major.  Beloved husband of the late Berta.  Loving father of Charles A., Karen L. and Johanna F.  Cherished grandfather of 5 and great-grandfather of 6.  Also survived by loving nieces and nephews.  Prayer Service at Calverton National Cemetery on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 2:00pm.

Born John H. Bowser to Charles A. Bowser and Freida Kuhn Bowser on Aug. 4th 1921 in Murphysboro, IL. 

He attended Carthage College in Wisconsin. After Graduation he joined the FBI. A short time after (1 to 2 years) World War II had started and he joined the Army attending OSC (Officers Candidate School) and then Air Intelligence School graduating in January 1944. He then shipped out to our forces in Germany. He worked for the Judge Advocate of the Allied Command in Wurzsburg, Germany. His Commanding Officers were General Eisenhower, General Marshall and General Patton. John was present at the liberation of the first Nazi Concentration Camp at Dachau in April 1945. It was a death and medical experiment camp. It was the longest operating camp. 

Major Bowser was also present as a chief witness at the Neurenberg Trials against the Commandant of the Nazi Dachau Concentration Camp. Theodor Eicke was the Commandant at that time. 

Before returning to the States John met a beautiful Czechoslovakian woman named Barbie and fell in Love. They married and had a son born in Southern Germany. 

After the war ended John was offered a choice to stay in the Army or transfer to the newly created Air Force. He chose the Air Force and ended up in as Provost Marshal at Ft. Riley in Kansas. Later he was transferred to Newfoundland at the Ernest Harmon Air Base as Comptroller of the 64th Air Division. Following that he transferred down to the New York area. Now with a new Home and a new family he decided to leave the military after 12 years. He was offered a position as a Director of Radio Free Europe in Munich Germany under the supervision of General Lucius Clay who was the US Military General of Germany at that time. He served that position until late 1957. He then returned to Syosset New York to raise his now growing family. 

John went to work in New York for a short time at the Sperry Corporation. Soon after John joined the Grumman Aircraft Manufacturing plant in Bethpage, Long Island. He was a personal Aide to Leroy Grumman and represented Grumman Aircraft in Washington, DC. He was with Grumman Aircraft during the time that Grumman built the LEM (lunar excursion module). It was the craft that carried America to the surface of the moon! 

He left Grumman around 1970 after Grumman failed to secure any new government contracts in the Space Race. Then came American Express Co. in Manhattan, NY. He ran the Credit Card Division until his retirement. Somewhere in there he re-upped in the Army Reserves and finished out his military career with 20 years total and a full Honorable Discharge from the Air Force in 1975. 

Although now retired, John always wanted to keep in touch with his military life and comrades. He belonged to the VFW and also served on the Nassau County American Legion. He would be seen at all Military Holiday events, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Flag Day. John would always honor those that served in the military regardless of branch or rank. He is a true Blue, red blooded American! We could use a few more of his kind and I think it would be our Shame if we didn't recognize him as an American Hero. 

He has a family of Three children, Charles, a builder and architect from Florida, Karen, a Fashion Designer from NYC living in Utah and Johanna, a RN nurse living in Glen Cove, NY. Unfortunately, John lost his lovely wife Barbie in 2008.