Richard Eller Cowan (1922 - 1944)

Born 5 Dec 1922 in Lincoln, Lancaster, Nebraska, United States

Died 18 Dec 1944 at age 22 in Krinkelter Wald, Belgium

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Biography

Richard Cowan was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Richard Cowan was awarded the Purple Heart.

Private First Class Richard Cowan served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 24 Sep 1943
Unit(s): Company M, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division
Service ended: 17 Dec 1944

Private First Class Richard Cowan was was Killed in Action in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

Richard was born 5 December 1922 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was the son of Ralph Cowan and Florence Eller.^[1]

He was killed in action on 18 December 1944 in the Battle of the Bulge. The previous day his heroic actions against the German Wehrmacht earned him a posthumous award of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Find A Grave: Memorial #6531387

• 1930 - Wichita, Sedgwick, Kansas, United States.^[2]
• 1940 - Ward 5, Wichita, Wichita City, Sedgwick, Kansas, United States.^[3]

Congressional Medal of Honor Citation

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Private First Class Richard Eller Cowan, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company M, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Private First Class Cowan was a heavy machine gunner in a section attached to Company I in the vicinity of Krinkelter Wald, Belgium, 17 December 1944, when that company was attacked by a numerically superior force of German infantry and tanks. The first six waves of hostile infantrymen were repulsed with heavy casualties, but a seventh drive with tanks killed or wounded all but three of his section, leaving Private Cowan to man his gun, supported by only 15 to 20 riflemen of Company I. He maintained his position, holding off the Germans until the rest of the shattered force had set up a new line along a firebreak. Then, unaided, he moved his machinegun and ammunition to the second position. At the approach of a Royal Tiger tank, he held his fire until about 80 enemy infantrymen supporting the tank appeared at a distance of about 150 yards. His first burst killed or wounded about half of these infantrymen. His position was rocked by an 88-mm. shell when the tank opened fire, but he continued to man his gun, pouring deadly fire into the Germans when they again advanced. He was barely missed by another shell. Fire from three machineguns and innumerable small arms struck all about him; an enemy rocket shook him badly, but did not drive him from his gun. Infiltration by the enemy had by this time made the position untenable, and the order was given to withdraw. Private Cowan was the last man to leave, voluntarily covering the withdrawal of his remaining comrades. His heroic actions were entirely responsible for allowing the remaining men to retire successfully from the scene of their last-ditch stand. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services; Lincoln, Nebraska; Nebraska Birth Index, 1912-1994. Ancestry.com. Nebraska, U.S., Birth Ledgers, 1904-1911, Birth Index, 1912-1994 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2021. Ancestry Record 62094 #302066151
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X77C-522 : accessed 24 February 2022), Richard E Cowen in household of Ralph E Cowen, Wichita, Sedgwick, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 47, sheet 37A, line 31, family 976, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 720; FHL microfilm 2,340,455.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VR2B-1KQ : 29 January 2020), Richard Cowan in household of Ralph E Cowan, Ward 5, Wichita, Wichita City, Sedgwick, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 107-80, sheet 2A, line 12, family 29, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1274.
4. ↑ [Hall of Valor Project - Richard Eller Cowan]

• National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Kansas, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 79. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Ancestry Record 2238 #25156813
• "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMF5-8SC : 5 December 2014), Richard E Cowan, enlisted 24 Sep 1943, Ft Leavenworth, Kansas, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
• TWO FORMER FRIENDS MEN ARE MISSING, The Wichita Beacon, Wichita, Kansas, 09 Jan 1945, Tue • Page 1
• Posthumous congressional medal is awarded Pfc. R. Cowan, Lincoln native, Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, Nebraska, 06 Jul 1945, Fri • Page 3
• Heroic Acts of Wichitahan Carried in Second Infantry Division Book, The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, Kansas, 12 Dec 1946, Thu • Page 5
• COWAN, The Wichita Beacon, Wichita, Kansas, 05 Dec 1947, Fri • Page 19
• Congressional Medal of Honor Society - Richard Eller Cowan