Vice Admiral Harold Gardner Bowen, U.S.N. Retired

The ranks of past Presi- dents of The American Society of Naval Engi- neers were reduced by one by the death on 1 August 1965 of Vice Ad- miral Harold Gardner Bowen, U.S.N., Retired. He died at the age of 81 at Providence, R.I., his birthplace. He served the Society well as its Presi- dent in 1938.

As stated by Navy Chaplain Captain Loren M. Liudquist, U.S.N., at Admiral Bowen’s funeral, he had lived a full life devoted to duty to his ca- reer and service to his country. This is demon-

, strated in part by his I official service record

which shows that he grad- uated from the US. Naval Academy in 1905. He rose from past-Midshipman to the command of ships twice before directing his career into Engineering Duty only. In recognition of the quality of his service, Admiral Bowen received six let-

ters of commendation from Secretaries of the Navy and was awarded the Dis- tinguished Service Medal. He held six service medals. As a technical manager, always a naval office in dynamic command, he made

significant contributions in the fields of radar, high pressure steam propulsion, and the design of submarines which were among the outstanding technological developments which had much to do with the naval victories of World War II; and in the development of nuclear energy in its pioneer days. His service career led from Manager of the Puget Sound Navy Yard, to Assist-

ant Chief of the Bureau of Engineering, Chief of the Bureau of Engineering and Engineer in Chief of the Navy, Director of the Naval Research Laboratory, and Head of the Navy Office of Research and Inventions. In this last position he established, for the rest of the Military Services to follow, the proper and mutual- ly accepted procedures for relationships between civilian scientists and military officers.

During World War 11, the Secretary of the Navy called Admiral Bowen from his regular duties eight times to take over the management of industrial firms which had important naval contracts which were falling behind on account of strikes or mis-management. His actions in every case were characteristic. They were rapid, decisive, and $uccessful.

He and the United States shared the good fortune that in the critical days be- fore, and during World War II he was in positions where his talents paid off as very solid contributions to victory.

Admiral Bowen was buried with simple military honors in Arlington Nation- al Cemetery m a plot overlcmking the Pentagon, that center of military power to which he had contributed so mightily.

He is survived by his wife Edith Brownlie, his son Rear Admiral Harold C. Bowen, Jr., USN, and four granddaughters.

Naval Engineers Journal, August 1965 667