Private First Class Bowden was a member of the 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was seriously injured while fighting in North Korea on 6 November 1952 and died of those injuries on 18 January 1953 in southern Japan.

Bowden was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.