3 Replies Latest reply on May 11, 2021 9:12 PM by Anita Baker

    Seeking records about Vincent John Bowen

    Newbie
    Beverly Thompson Feb 12, 2020 1:53 PM

      Looking for information on Vincent John Bowen, WWII Veteran, who was captured at the Battle of the Bulge, recipient of the POW award medal from Pennsylvania, and a Purple Heart Recipient. This is my uncle who died in Portland, Oregon and was married three times. I'm looking to put his name on Fort Hood Wall of Honor and want to make sure I have all my facts correct. Thank you

      • 251 Views
      • Tags:
        • Re: Seeking records about Vincent John Bowen
          Lisa Sharik Scout
          Lisa Sharik Feb 12, 2020 3:46 PM (in response to Beverly Thompson)

          His POW record from the NARA- AAD database, It shows he was captured February 2, 1944 In Italy while serving with the 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. This would have been during the battles around Cassino.

          SERIAL NUMBER  33077233    33077233 
          NAME   BOWEN VINCENT J    BOWEN VINCENT J 
          GRADE, ALPHA  T SG    Technical Sergeant 
          GRADE CODE  3    Lieutenant Colonel or Asst. superintendent of nurses or Director of nurses or Technical Sergeant or Commander or Petty Officer, 1st Class 
          SERVICE CODE  1    ARMY 
          ARM OR SERVICE  INF    Infantry 
          ARM OR SERVICE CODE  10    INF: INFANTRY 
          DATE REPORT: DAY (DD)  18    18 
          DATE REPORT: MONTH (MM)  02    02 
          DATE REPORT: YEAR (Y)  4    1944 
          RACIAL GROUP CODE  1    WHITE 
          STATE OF RESIDENCE  32    Pennsylvania 
          TYPE OF ORGANIZATION  110    Rifle 
          PARENT UNIT NUMBER  0179    0179 
          PARENT UNIT TYPE  06    Group/Regiment/Commands/System 
          AREA  98    North African Theatre: Italy 
          LATEST REPORT DATE: DAY (DD)  06    06 
          LATEST REPORT DATE: MONTH (MM)  06    06 
          LATEST REPORT DATE: YEAR (Y)  5    1945 
          SOURCE OF REPORT  1    Individual has been reported through sources considered official. 
          STATUS  8    Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated 
          DETAINING POWER  1    GERMANY 
          CAMP  004    Stalag 3B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia (Also KDOS [USA] #1-5; ARB BTNS 225-255) 52-14

          Lisa Sharik

          Deputy Director

          Texas Military Forces Museum

          2 people found this helpful
          • Re: Seeking records about Vincent John Bowen
            Lisha Penn Pioneer
            Lisha Penn Expert Feb 21, 2020 10:38 AM (in response to Beverly Thompson)

            Dear Ms. Thompson,

             

            Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

             

            We searched the National Archives Access to Archival Databases (AAD) and located Records of World War II Prisoners of War, documenting the period 12/7/1941 - 11/19/1946 that includes a POW listing for Vincent J. Bowen from Pennsylvania who was a prisoner in Stalag 3B.

             

            We searched the National Archives Catalog and located 7 file units that pertain to Stalag 3B in the Records of the Office of the Provost Marshal General (Record Group 389). One file unit titled American POWs in Germany, November 1, 1945 has been digitized and available via the Catalog. For access to and/or copies of the non-digitized file units, please contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) via email at archives2reference@nara.gov.

             

            To seek more records of Vincent John Bown, please begin by requesting a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and individual medical reports for those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and who were separated from the service prior to 1956 are in the custody of NARA’s National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. In many cases where Army and Army Air Corps personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued. Navy and Marine Corps OMPFs were not affected by the fire. Please complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA’s National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002.

             

            We searched Ancestry and located All Military Results for Vincent John Bowen; and his possible grave site (no image). There may be a fee for using Ancestry to access digitized records. However, you may view these records online at one of NARA's facilities for free via a NARA PC. For the nearest NARA location, please consult our web page at https://www.archives.gov/locations/.

             

            We also found his grave site on Find-A-Grave.

             

            We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!

             

            2 people found this helpful
            • Re: Seeking records about Vincent John Bowen
              Anita Baker Newbie
              Anita Baker May 11, 2021 9:12 PM (in response to Beverly Thompson)

              Hi Beverly,

              I finally figured out what I was doing here.....My name is Anita... I was Alice's daughter....Vince was my mom's husband ... and is my son's grandfather (Tim)....

              I would like to speak with you if possible.... all of them are gone now, and I have often wondered about Jean's family.. and where they might be.  I was 22 when my mom married your uncle.... (1979).  I was married in 1981, and my son was born in 1984..... my son, my sister, and I sure  miss him... as well as mom (Alice).  She died in 2005... four years after Vince.

              I am not sure if you will get this message..

              oh, and by the way... I do have some of the army files, and personal documents of him.... and the purple heart... I am saving it for my son.  You see, although Vince had no children.... my son came along after mom and him were married, and he was always grampa....my own father died in 1974.

               

              Well... I hope to hear from you..

              Anita Baker