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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."
World War II/American Theater
From Month/Year
December / 1941
To Month/Year
September / 1945
Description The American Theater was a minor area of operations during World War II. This was mainly due to both North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of conflict in Europe and Asia. Thus, any threat by the Axis Powers to invade the mainland United States or other areas was considered negligible, allowing for American resources to be deployed in overseas theaters.
This article includes attacks on continental territory, extending 200 miles (320 km) into the ocean, which is today under the sovereignty of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and several other smaller states, but excludes military action involving the Danish territory of Greenland, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Aleutian Islands. The most well known battles in North America during World War II were the Attack on Pearl Harbor (the first attack on US soil since the Battle of Ambos Nogales), the Aleutian Islands Campaign, the Battle of the St. Lawrence, and the attacks on Newfoundland.
