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Jay Dee Cowan

Summary

Jay Dee Cowan was a decorated World War II veteran, aircraft nose artist, and architect from the Dallas, Texas area. He had an interest in art from high school through college, which led him to do several paintings on World War II aircraft noses. He used this talent after the war and became a professional architect in Los Angeles until he retired. His architect projects included locations in Los Angeles, Germany, Afghanistan, and Alaska. Cowan lived most of his life with his wife and children in Southern California.

Early Life

Jay Dee Cowan was born on October 11, 1919 in Loredo, Texas. He attended grammar school from September 1926 through June 1933. Cowan then attended high school from 1933 until graduation from Dallas Technical High School in 1937. While attending high school he was in the National Honor Society and Commercial Art Club. He did posters, portraits, and other art work from 1937-1940 for the American Poster & Program Company in Dallas Texas. From 1937 to 1940 Cowan was in the Texas National Guard and was honorably discharged as a Corporal. He attended North Texas Agriculture College from 1939 to 1940 .

Cowan started college in September 1940 at the University of Texas A&M. During his first year he attended the Medical Administrative Corps (also known as Corps of Cadets) as part of the Calvary Headquarters Troop as a Private. He was also an Art Assistant in the Art Department. In 1941 he was promoted to Corporal in the Calvary Headquarters Troop and was a member of the Houston A&M Club(2). Cowan enjoyed his calvary training during this period when they rode horseback and shot at targets in the trees. He met his future wife, Barbara Ellen Cramer, at Texas A&M. Cramer also had a passion for art and liked to paint or create sculptures.

World War II Service

Cowan enlisted into the United States Army Air Force on March 31, 1942 (serial# 18083741). He originally applied for a position as an Air Corps Cadet to be a pilot on January 31, 1942 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. This was less than two months after the Pearl Harbor attack. On February 1, 1942, Cowan was approved to be an Air Corps Cadet after being medically, morally, and mentally cleared by the Aviation Cadet Examination Board (1). After conducting test flights he realized he easily became air sick. Cowan remained in the Army Air Force as a mechanic for bomber aircraft.

He was assigned to the 851st Bombardment Squadron of the 490th Bombardment Group in the 8th Air Force. The bombardment group was activated on October 1, 1943 in Salt Lake City, Utah. On December 4, 1943 they were stationed at Mountain Home, Idaho until their assignment in England in April 1944. During his time in Idaho, he received his training and assignment as ground crew on the B-24 Liberators. By May 31, 1944 he was station in Eye, England at RAF Eye Station 134. By late August and into September, the aircraft was switched to the B-17 Flying Fortresses.

Technical Sergeant Cowan was a ground crew chief in charge of repairing and maintaining the aircraft of the 851st Bombardment Squadron at RAF Eye. He kept his aircraft operational despite lack of supplies and harsh weather conditions. As described in his Bronze Star Citation, the aircraft he was tasked with maintaining completed sixty four (64) bombardment missions against the enemy from May 31, 1944 to January 14, 1945. By January 1945 he had already been promoted to Master Sergeant.

February 9, 1945 - Bronze Star Citation by Major General Partridge (3rd Air Division)

“JAY D. COWAN, 18083741, Master Sergeant (then Technical Sergeant and Master Sergeant), Army Air Forces, United States Army. For meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy from 31 May 1944 to 14 January 1945. During this period, extensive battle damage was sustained by the aircraft assigned to him, but despite the handicaps of working in the open air and frequent shortages of equipment, Sergeant Cowan expertly and efficiently supervised all repairs and quickly returned his aircraft to perfect operational condition. As a result of his capable, patient workmanship, the aircraft he maintained completed sixty-four (64) bombardment missions against the enemy without being forced to return because of mechanical difficulty or failure. His technical skill and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.” - Signed by Captain F. E. Fitzpatrick and Brigadier General N. B. Harbold, Chief of Staff.

During his stay at RAF Eye, he also became an aircraft nose artist of B-24’s and B-17’s. He painted women with associated names or phrases on the noses of bomber aircraft. His confirmed artwork include: Booby Trap (B-24H-20-FO 42-94802), Carolina Moon (B-17G-75-BO 43-37907), Alice Blue Gown (B-17G-85-BO 43-38400), 5 Pounds with Breakfast (B-17G-95-BO 43-38728), Looky Looky (B-17G-70-DL 44-6893), and Bobby Sox (B-17G-50-VE 44-8158). He also painted flight jackets to match the nose art he painted. The nose art of Bobby Sox and Booby Trap were done in honor of his girlfriend at the time, Barbara Ellen Cramer, nicknamed Bobby. The other nose arts were inspired by the flight crew and their significant others. It is believed that he did other nose art that have yet to be confirmed.

Cowan was honorably discharged as a Master Sergeant on August 26, 1945 (3). The 490th Bombardment Group returned to Drew Field, Florida on September 3, 1945. He was given a ruptured duck lapel as a symbol of being honorably discharged.

Awards

Bronze Star Medal

WWII Campaign Medal

WWII Victory Medal

Army Good Conduct Medal

Jubilee of Liberty Medal

Post War Life

After being honorably discharged from the United States Army Air Force, Cowan returned to Texas A&M in the fall of 1945. During this school year he was the Art Editor for the university paper, The Longhorn. He married Barbara Ellen Cramer by 1946. During the 1947 school year he was a member of the Architecture Society and drew the sketches for the Admissions Office booklet called “The Senior Sells Himself”. By 1948 he graduated with a bachelors degree in architecture. He went on to obtaining his masters degree in architecture.

By the early 1950’s he had accepted a position at a Los Angeles based architecture company, Burns & Rowe Architect and Engineering as the head architect. He moved to Beverly Hills with his wife. They welcomed twin daughters in 1953. In the early 1960’s Cowan agreed to take a contract with the United States government for one year in Frankfurt, Germany with his family. A few years later he took another one year contract with the United States government in Afghanistan with his family to design schools and office buildings. During the 1960’s and 1970’s he invested in several apartment buildings, homes, and mobile home parks.

In 1971 he moved his family to Newport Beach, California. In 1978 he retired officially and took a year off. In 1979 he took a six month contract to supervise construction of an Alaskan pipeline. When the project concluded, he and his wife traveled to Central America for six months on vacation. In the decades to follow, he and his wife enjoyed taking an RV to other states and made a trip to China. By 1989, he welcomed a grandson and almost two years later, a granddaughter.

In January 2007, his wife of over sixty years passed away from a stroke at the age of 83. During the years following his wife’s death, Cowan kept busy with his ongoing real estate investments and socializing at the senior center. He participated in a trip to Africa with the senior center group. In 2013 he married his second wife. Later that year he welcomed the birth of a great granddaughter.

Death

By late 2014 Cowan became less mobile and had a spout with breast cancer. In the spring of 2015 his family received word that he had been diagnosed with aggressive bone cancer and not much could be done to slow the spreading. In July of 2015 he was placed in hospice care. On July 30, 2015 Jay Dee Cowan passed away peacefully at the age of 95 surrounded by his family. On October 25, 2017, Cowan was posthumously awarded the Jubilee of Liberty Medal by the 8th Air Force Historical Society for his contribution to the liberation of France.