![\"Jackie](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/Jackie-McGowan.jpg\")
<\/a><\/center><\/p>\nWe wrote about this guy, Jackie McGowan, in June<\/a> when he was noticed by AverageNCO. His obituary<\/a> said that he had earned 17 Bronze Stars, three Silver Stars and that he had been a POW. Well, we thought that he was too young to join the Navy, but it turns out that he joined when he was 17, so he was just barely old enough to join the war. He served on the USS Houston which had a stellar record against the Japanese Navy<\/a> until it was torpedoed in the Battle of Sunda Strait on February 28, 1942 and the crew of 1061, including the Marine detachment, were killed or captured by the Japanese. All hands. Jackie McGowan enlisted 17 months later;<\/p>\n McGowan did serve on the USS Houston, but not until Oct 43 about 20 months after the USS Houston (CA-30) was sunk and the USS Houston was rechristened from the USS Vicksburg (CL-81);<\/p>\n Two years later, McGowan was awarded a dishonorable discharge for stealing from his fellow sailors and a few hours of AWOL. Then on his way to the place he was getting his discharge, he was AWOL for three days. His defense was that he was too young. It didn’t work.<\/p>\n In 1947, he unsuccessfully tried to get his discharge disposition upgraded, and again in 1984, when he was successful getting it upgraded to a General discharge (the one you see above). He immediately filed with the VA for status as a POW, and of course, he wasn’t, so he didn’t get the distinction;<\/p>\n Looking at his awards, he may have served in the Pacific Theater because of the Occupation Medal with an “A” device (for Asia) for service after Sept. 2, 1945 in the theater. but there are certainly not 17 Bronze Stars or 3 Silver Stars. He’s also wearing a Purple Heart in the picture and a POW Medal, I think I see some Vietnam stuff in there, too.<\/p>\n Thanks to Pat for doing all of the heavy lifting on the paperwork for this one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/center><\/p>\n<\/a><\/center><\/p>\n