Airman First Class Howe was a Gunner on a B-36 bomber stationed at Carswell Air Force Base at Ft. Worth, Texas. On 11 December 1953, his aircraft was en route to Biggs Air Force Base at El Paso, Texas, when it encountered blinding snow storm, crashed into Franklin Mountain just north of El Paso and killed all nine crew members on board.

Howe was awarded the National Defense Service Medal.