David Winslow Bowman
Captain, U.S. Army

David Winslow Bowman had previously served as an enlisted man in the U.S. Army.

On 6 April 1965, then-First Lieutenant David Winslow Bowman was serving as Assistant Advisor to the 44th Ranger Battalion, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, in South Vietnam.

On that day, 1LT Bowman was accompanying the 1st Company, 44th Ranger Battalion, ARVN, whose mission was to assist an armored troop that was being attacked by a well dug-in Viet Cong battalion in Chuong Thien Province. Upon engaging the insurgents at the assault area, the senior Vietnamese Ranger officer present sustained serious wounds. Knowing the importance of command control, 1LT Bowman ran across the fire-swept front to inform the 1st Company Commander, the next senior Vietnamese officer present, of the fate of the fallen Ranger officer. With the Company Commander of the 1st Company now in charge, 1LT Bowman advanced with the assault force and directed air strikes at the hostile positions located about 110 yards to his front. While advancing with the assault force, he encountered, and eliminated, 3 insurgents. At one point, the assault was temporarily halted due to the intense hostile fire directed at the advancing group. While awaiting the air landing of the remainder of the Ranger Battalion, and another air strike at the hostile positions, 1LT Bowman positioned himself behind an out-of-action armored personnel carrier and continued to fire into the Viet Cong position. 1LT Bowman moved toward the insurgents into a vantage point in an open field to direct air strikes by arriving friendly aircraft. As he stood and directed the air assault, he was mortally wounded in the throat and chest. 1LT Bowman's extraordinary heroism earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Bowman received a posthumous promotion to the rank of Captain.

Medals, Awards, Badges and Tabs

Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star Medal (Merit)
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Ranger Tab

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Captain (Infantry) David Winslow Bowman (ASN: 0-5315189), United States Army (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving as Assistant Advisor to the 44th Ranger Battalion, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. On 6 April 1965, Captain Bowman accompanied the 1st Company, 44th Ranger Battalion, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, whose mission was to assist an armored troop which was being attacked by a well dug-in Viet Cong battalion. Upon engaging the insurgents at the assault area, the senior Vietnamese Ranger officer present sustained serious wounds. Realizing the importance of command control, Captain Bowman without regard for his personal safety, dashed across the fire-swept front to inform the 1st Company Commander, the next senior Vietnamese officer present, of the fate of the fallen Ranger officer. With the Company Commander of the 1st Company now in charge, Captain Bowman advanced with the assault force and directed air strikes at the hostile positions located approximately one hundred and ten yards to his front. While advancing with the assault force, he encountered and eliminated three insurgents. At one point, the assault was temporarily halted due to an exceedingly strong hail of hostile fire being directed at the advancing group. While awaiting the air landing of the remainder of the Ranger Battalion and another air strike at the hostile positions, Captain Bowman positioned himself behind an out-of-action armored personnel carrier and continued to fire into the Viet Cong position. Captain Bowman, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, left the relative safety of his position and moved toward the insurgents to a vantage point in an open field to direct air strikes by arriving friendly aircraft. As he stood amidst the hail of hostile fire and directed the air assault, he was mortally wounded. Captain Bowman's extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Pacific, General Orders No. 147 (May 22, 1965)

Honors

The name David W Bowman is located on Panel 1E Line 101 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Captain David Winslow Bowman is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Arlington County, VA.

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