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George Maus Lowry served as a rear admiral in the United States Navy. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz, 1914. When he died in 1981 he was the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient of the occupation.
After appointment to the United States Naval Academy, Lowry graduated on June 2, 1911. In 1913, he commanded the USS Niagara (1813) on a tour of the Great Lakes after the sunken ship was raised and reconstructed.
In 1914, Ensign Lowry took part in the United States occupation of Veracruz, 1914, where he led the First Company of armed Navy sailors (known as "Bluejackets") from the USS Florida (BB-30). Tasked with capturing the city's Customs House, Lowry's company became pinned down by "murderous rifle and machine-gun fire." Deciding not to risk his entire company in a frontal attack, Lowry instead asked for volunteers to approach the Customs House from the side.
Lowry led five volunteers into a narrow alley, where they came under a crossfire from riflemen in the Customs Building and machine gunners in a nearby hotel. During this fighting, "A bullet clipped one of the buttons off Lowry's cap and another tore through his right legging, creasing the flesh. After his men were able to silence the machine gunners with return rifle fire, Lowry called for a corpsman to help a volunteer who had been shot in the head. Lowry and his surviving men worked their way up the alley and scaled the wall around the Custom's House. After Lowry and his men smashed through a window of the Customs House, the personnel inside surrendered.
Several days later, Lowry returned to the scene and counted twelve bullet impacts on the wall where his men had climbed it. Lowry, along with almost all of the men who volunteered for the attack, received the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Other Comments:
Admiral Lowry was awarded the CMOH as an Ensign in December 1915. His citation reads:
"For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21-22 April 1914. Ens. Lowry was in both day's fighting at the head of his company, and was eminent and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and courage."
