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Tom Bateman, GMM1
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Bowen, Alva, CAPT.
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Contact Info
Home Town Atlanta
Last Address Annapolis, MD
Date of Passing Dec 14, 2011
Location of Interment U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) - Annapolis, Maryland
Captain Alva "Al" Manly Bowen Jr., 86, USN (Ret.), died December 14 at Ginger Cove Health Center of Cancer. He was born February 24, 1925 in a small cottage in author Joel Chandler Harris's back yard in Atlanta, GA. He attended Newnan Georgia Public School, the U.S. Naval Academy, where he graduated in June 1945, the National War College, and GWU, where he graduated in 1970 with a M.S. in International Affairs.
His naval career covered 1945 through 1975 where he commanded minesweepers, destroyers, and a cruiser and was chief engineer of an aircraft carrier. There were five deployments of five months or more to the Mediterranean, four to West Pacific, three of these were during the Vietnam War. He was part of UNITAS Eleven, Politico-military circumnavigation of South America, while CO of the flagship, USS Harry E. Yarnell. He exercised Naval Base-use agreements with South American countries, and was a member of the office of the Secretary of the Navy Surface Missile Systems Project manager- Human Factors Engineer for Aegis, a Weapons System Development and Program Manager for weapons personnel in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and part of the office of the Chief of Naval Operations-Director of Surface Warfare Programs and Plans. At the CNO level, Al oversaw mining of North Vietnam's harbors and subsequent minesweeping operations, and directed planning for the post Vietnam War makeover of our surface navy. Al also received the Bronze Star (V), Legion of Merit.
Al's civilian career included Specialist in International Politics and National Security with the Congressional Research Service of Library of Congress. As Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division, he conducted policy research for Congressional offices and committees on the defense budget, arms control, Panama Canal Treaty, Philippine bases. He took part in negotiations and other foreign policy issues related to East Asia or Latin America.
Al was a member of NPC, U.S. Naval Institute, Lost Patrol, Navy Sailing Association(s), and the Military Order of the Carabou. He enjoyed offshore and local yacht racing and was the offshore sailing coach with the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron for 20 years. His hobbies included the Ham radio and writing.
Al was preceded in death by his wife Delavan Rawlins (Delly), whom he married in 1947 and who died in December 2006. He is survived by his son, Gerry Bowen; daughter, Julia Toney; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m., Tuesday, January 3 at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel. Internment will follow in the columbarium. Arrangements by John M. Taylor Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made to www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com.
Memorial donations may be made to Ginger Cove Foundation or Hospice of the Chesapeake.
Description This campaign was from 25 December 1965 to 30 June 1966. As the war continued, the Navy continued to patrol the coasts and rivers in brown water operations. Minesweeping craft begin patrolling the Long Tau River leading to Saigon to keep that vital waterway open to merging traffic.
Navy patrol craft worked to keep Vietnamese's harbors open and safe in operation stable door. Navy helicopters called Seawolves began supporting the newly arrived Navy PBR in Game Warden missions.
On 1 January 1966, the Sea Force was renamed the Fleet Command and reorganized along functional lines. Flotilla I, comprised the submarine chasers (PC) and escorts in Squadron 11, the motor gunboats in Squadron 13, and the large support landing ships (LSSL) in Squadron 15. The minesweepers in Squadron 17 were responsible for sea patrol, inshore patrol, river patrol, and minesweeping duties, respectively. Flotilla II controlled Squadrons 22 and 24, which consisted of the Vietnamese Navy's landing ships and craft, coastal oilers, and other vessels providing logistic support.
Throughout this period, the Vietnamese Navy continued to suffer from serious deficiencies. Perhaps the greatest was the careerism and interservice political activity of many naval officers, which hamstrung coordination and cooperation in operations and lowered the morale and motivation of naval personnel. The emphasis on politics disrupted the training of sailors, many already educationally unprepared in the technical skills essential for the operation of complex vessels, weapons, and equipment.
Aside from the political factor, training in gunnery, seamanship, and communications skills was hurt by the Vietnamese stress on instruction at shore-based schools, rather than on board ships. Unfortunately, few Vietnamese sailors were released from operational duty to receive training ashore.
At the same time, the Recruit Training Center at Cam Ranh Bay, the Advanced Training Center in Saigon, and the Naval Training Center at Nha Trang, which included the Naval Academy, were hard-pressed to handle the great number of men entering the service during this period. Some relief was afforded by the training of Vietnamese officers and men on board U.S. naval vessels and in the United States. The quality of training improved somewhat as a result of these measures and the hard work of many Vietnamese sailors and American advisors.
The material condition of the navy raised even more serious concerns. Officers and men in the operational units often showed little regard for the maintenance of their ships and craft. Compounding the problem was the inability of the ship and boat repair facilities to cope with the growing backlog of work orders generated by the increased tempo of the war and the doubling in size of the navy.
The lack of skilled workmen severely hampered operations at the Eastern Repair Facility at Cuu Long near Saigon and the Western Repair Facility at Can Tho, which handled River Force and Coastal Force work. The same condition existed at the smaller establishments at Danang, Cat Lo, Qui Nhon, An Thoi, and Rach Gia, which supported the Coastal Force exclusively. A number of these repair operations barely functioned.