Allan W. Lowry

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Allan W. Lowry (0-661513), First Lieutenant (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Co-Pilot of a B-17 Heavy Bomber in the 324th Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 4 March 1943, against enemy targets in the European Theater of Operations. On this date First Lieutenant Lowry was on a bombing mission to attack the railway station and marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. His aircraft was subjected to some of the most vicious attacks made by the Germans upon any plane in the formation. By the time they had reached the German coast on the way out, three of their engines had been shot out and the remaining engine was not sufficient to keep the aircraft in formation. Before long further attacks by German aircraft forced Lieutenant Brill to ditch in the icy waters of the North Sea. The sea was rough, and after bouncing off one wave the aircraft broke into two on the next swell. Lieutenant Lowry and his pilot Lieutenant Allen Brill were the last ones to leave the airplane after it began to break up and refused to save themselves until after the other combat crew members had safely entered their dinghies. The high winds soon carried the dinghies out of reach of these officers and although the other combat crewmembers attempted to save them they had sacrificed themselves to make sure that the surviving members of their crew would reach safety. The personal courage and devotion to duty displayed by First Lieutenant Lowry on this occasion, at the cost of his life, have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.