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First Name: George

Last Name: Lowry

Birthplace: Erie, PA, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Navy (present)

Rating:

Home of Record: PA
Middle Name: Maus



Date of Birth: 27 October 1889

Date of Death: 1981

Rank or Rate: Rear Admiral

Years Served: 1911-1927, 1940-1947
George Maus Lowry

   
Engagements:
•  Occupation of Veracruz (1914)

Biography:

George Maus Lowry

Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy

Medal of Honor Recipient

Occupation of Veracruz

Rear Admiral George Maus Lowry (27 October 1889 - 1981) was a U.S. Navy officer who received the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during the Occupation of Veracruz.

George Maus Lowry was born on 27 October 1889 in Erie, PA. He was the son of Ricardo St. Phillip Lowry. After appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Lowry graduated on 2 June 1911.

In 1913, he commanded the USS Niagara (1813) on a tour of the Great Lakes after the sunken ship was raised and reconstructed.

Occupation of Veracruz

In 1914, Ensign Lowry took part in the U.S. occupation of Veracruz, 1914, where he led the First Company of armed Navy sailors (known as "Bluejackets") from the USS Florida (BB-30). Tasked with capturing the city's Custom's House, Lowry's company became pinned down by "murderous rifle and machine gun fire." Deciding not to risk his entire company in a frontal attack, Lowry instead asked for volunteers to approach the Custom's House from the side. Five men volunteered: Joseph G. Harner, Coxswain J. F. Schumaker, Boatswain's Mate Second Class George Cregan, and Seamen Harry C. Beasley and Lawrence C. Sinnett.

Lowry led the volunteers into a narrow alley, where they came under a cross fire from riflemen in the Custom's building and machine gunners in a nearby hotel. During this fighting, "A bullet clipped one of the buttons off Lowry's cap and another tore through his right legging, creasing the flesh. Beasley was slightly wounded, and Schumaker was shot through the head."

After his men were able to silence the machine gunners with return rifle fire, Lowry called for a corpsman to help Schumaker. Hospital Apprentice First Class William Zuiderveld ran down the alley and tried to stop the flow of blood from Schumaker's head, but was unable to do so. Schumaker soon died.

Once Zuiderveld carried Schumaker to the rear, Lowry and his surviving men worked their way up the alley and scaled the wall around the Custom's House. After Lowry and his men smashed through a window of the Custom's House, the personnel inside surrendered.

Several days later, Lowry returned to the scene and counted twelve bullet impacts on the wall where his men had climbed it.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Navy

Place and date: Veracruz, Mexico, 21-22 April 1914

Citation: For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21-22 April 1914; Ens. Lowry was in both days' fighting at the head of his company, and was eminent and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and courage.

Later in Lowry's career, he commanded the USS Coghlan (DD-326), USS O'Bannon (DD-177) and USS MacDonough. Prior to leaving the Navy in 1927, he also served in the Bureau of Navigation.

In 1940 Lowry re-joined the Navy and served as assistant operations officer in the 12th Naval District. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Lowry served as operations officer and as convoy and routing officer of the Western Sea Frontier during World War II.

In 1942 he was promoted to Captain and to Rear Admiral in 1947.

Post-Military Life

After the war, Lowry wrote several articles which were printed in the U.S. Naval Institute magazine Proceedings, including "Exploits of the U-53," "The Clipperton Operations" and "L-16: Mystery No Longer." There is currently a professorship in his honor at the Navy War College in Newport, RI.

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor
Legion of Merit

Death and Burial

After his death in 1981, he was cremated and his ashes buried at sea per his request.

He was married to Caroline Coleman, who died in 1979.



Honoree ID: 2012   Created by: MHOH

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