John Gordon Fowler – Brigadier General, United States Air Force

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Courtesy of the United States Air Force

BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN G. FOWLER

Retired May 1, 1959. Died December 1, 1971.

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John Gordon Fowler was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1905. He graduated from Lake View High School there in 1924 and received an engineering degree from Northwestern University in 1928.

Appointed a flying cadet, General Fowler entered Primary Flying School at March Field, Calif., graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas on June 22, 1929 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the inactive Reserve. Called to active duty that October, he was assigned as a pilot at Selfridge Field, Michigan. Between 1930 and 1940 General Fowler served as a pilot and flying instructor at several bases in the United States and Hawaii. Entering the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, in July 1940, be graduated that September and assigned to the Second Bomb Group at Langley Field, Virginia.

Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, General Fowler was named assistant chief of staff for operations of the Anti-Submarine Command in New York City, becoming deputy chief of staff of the First Air Force at Mitchel, Field, New York, in October 1943.

The following June General Fowler was assigned to the 20th Air Force at Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he activated the 314th Bomb Wing, taking it to Guam. He assumed command of the 20th Air Force Combat Staging Center on Iwo Jima in September 1945. A month later General Fowler was named commanding officer and chief of staff of the 315th Bomb Wing on Guam. On July 1, 1946 he was appointed chief of administration for the Japan Air Materiel Area Command.

Ordered to Barksdale Field, Louisiana, in August 1947, General Fowler was assistant commandant of the 2621st Base Unit, and a year later he assumed command of the 2518th Base Unit at Enid Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Moving to Randolph Field, Texas in October 1949, he took command of the 3510th Pilot Training Wing. Entering the National War College, Washington, D.C. in August 1950, General Fowler graduated the following June and assigned as the Air Force Member of the Joint Subsidiary Plans Division, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Joining the Directorate of Intelligence at Air Force Headquarters in March 1952, General Fowler was deputy to the assistant for production. The following month he was named assistant deputy director of targets there, becoming deputy director that September.

Returning to Japan in September 1954, General Fowler was deputy for intelligence at Far East Air Forces Headquarters in Tokyo. From December 1954 to June 1955 he was a member of the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission in Korea.

Reassigned on April 17, 1956, General Fowler assumed duty as assistant chief of staff, J-2 (Inte1ligence-Joint Staff), United Nations Command and Far East Command, with duty station at Tokyo.

His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal and Legion of Merit. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer, aircraft observer and senior observer.

He was commissioned a second lieutenant (Reserve) June 22, 1929; commissioned a second lieutenant (permanent) October 7, 1929; promoted to first lieutenant (temporary) March 21, 1935; to captain (temporary) February 16, 1936; to captain (permanent) September 5, 1939; to major (temporary) March 21, 1941; to lieutenant colonel (temporary) January 23, 1942; to colonel (temporary) November 18, 1942; to major (permanent) September 11, 1946; to colonel (permanent) April 2, 1948; to brigadier general (temporary) July 30, 1954.

DIES ON WEDDING TRIP

Wife of Lieutenant J. G. Fowler, U.S.A. Succumbs on Liner at Sea

CHICAGO, Illinois, July 31, 1932 – The belated honeymoon of Second Lieutenant John G. Fowler of the Army Aviation Corps and Mrs. Phyllida Dilg Fowler, Northwestern University graduate, ended in tragedy last week, it was learned today.

She died suddenly Thursday aboard the steamship President Harding while homeward bound with her husband from London.  Burial will be on Tuesday or Wednesday in Arlington National Cemetery.

Mrs. Fowler was 23 years old, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Dilg of Evanston.  She was married to Lieutenant Fowler after her graduation from college in June 1931.  Her husband’s duties at Randolph Field, San Antonio, Texas, prevented a honeymoon at that time, however, and it was deferred until last May.

They visited Lieutenant Fowler’s father, Ira W. Fowler, President of the Fowler Casing Company of London.

FOWLER, JOHN G

  • BG USAF
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 09/06/1905
  • DATE OF DEATH: 12/08/1971
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 7  SITE 9965 WS
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

FOWLER, PHYLLIDA H W/O JOHN G  

  • DATE OF DEATH: 07/26/1932
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 7  SITE 9935
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF JG FOWLER, 1ST LT AIR CORPS, US ARMY

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