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Stan Lowry
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Stanley Morris Lowry (October 25, 1931 - July 4, 2004) was an American military special operations communications officer. Early life Stan Lowry was born in Leavittsburg, Ohio on October 25, 1931, to Otis Post Lowry (1884-1962) and Grace Ellen Longwell (1892-1964). Lowry was reared in Warren, Ohio, where he attended public schools. On April 5, 1952, Lowry married the former Nancy J. McGill at Sampson AFB, New York. Military career Stan enlisted in the United States Air Force at the age of seventeen years seven months on June 8, 1949. He began his military career playing the trombone in the Air Force band before becoming a basic training instructor. Stan’s highest enlisted grade was Technical Sergeant. In 1957, Stan attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Lackland AFB, TX. He was named a distinguished graduate in September 1957 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. Stan spent the majority of his military career working in communications intelligence. His promotions as a commissioned officer included 1st Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel ("below the zone"), and Colonel. His final assignment was division chief of contingency support for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Stan served two back-to-back terms at the JCS. Stan’s postings included four joint assignments, one headquarter USAF assignment, and two major command headquarters assignments. He held command positions at detachment, squadron, and group levels. He had seventeen permanent changes of station; nineteen household moves in nine states and two foreign countries. He was assigned to ten air bases (two of them twice), three Army posts, and the Pentagon twice. He had four overseas assignments (France, Thailand, Germany, and Hawaii). As a Captain, Stan served in Thailand 1966-1967 during the Vietnam War where he commanded the 1987th Communications Squadron at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB. This base was a front-line facility near the Mekong River that housed USAF Air Commando and Special Operations forces. Other units operating out of this base were MACV-SOG, Air America, Echo 31 and other clandestine organizations. His exposure to special operations on this assignment became a turning point for the remainder of his career were special operations and joint service assignments became the norm. For his service in this theater of action, Stan received among other awards, the Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. During his military career, Stan earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (1966) and a master's degree in political science from Auburn University (1971). He also attended the USAF Communications Officer’s Course at Scott AFB, Illinois, 1958; Squadron Officer’s School by correspondence, 1964; National Communications Security Course, National Cryptologic School, NSA, 1969; Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1971; National Security Management Correspondence Course, Industrial College of US, 1973; U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, 1976. Stan served on active duty for 35 years, 23 days of which 8 years and 3 months were enlisted. He retired from the USAF on July 1, 1984 at age 52 years and 8 months. Military awards Stan’s military decorations and awards include: *Defense Superior Service Medal *Legion of Merit *Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster *Joint Service Commendation Medal *Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster *Army Good Conduct Medal with Clasp with 3 Bronze Loops *Medal for Humane Action *National Defense Service Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star *Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal *Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars *Humanitarian Service Medal *Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with and 2 Oak Leaf Clusters *Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters *Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon *Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm *Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal *Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge Military career timeline and postings 1940s Postings & Assignments: United States Air Force Basic Military Training * Lackland Air Force Base, Texas World Conflict Affiliation: *Cold War ** Berlin air lift 1950s Postings & Assignments: United States Air Force Basic Military Training * Sampson Air Force Base, New York * Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi Officer Candidate School * Lackland Air Force Base, Texas Airways and Air Communications Service * Scott Air Force Base, Illinois World Conflict Affiliation: *Cold War *Korean War 1960s Postings & Assignments: United States Air Force in France * Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France ** 1239th Airways and Air Communications Squadron (AACS), Maintenance and Supply Officer and Commander, 1952-2 Communications Detachment, 1958-1960 * Toul-Rosières Air Base, France ** 1952nd Communications Squadron, Chief of Maintenance, 1960-1962 Air Force Communications Service * Scott Air Force Base, Illinois ** Headquarters, Air Force Communications Service, Plans Officer, 1962-1966 The Secret War * Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand ** Commander, 1987th Communications Squadron & Base Communications Officer, 56th Air Commando Wing, 1966-1967 United States European Command * Patch Barracks, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany ** Headquarters, U.S. European Command, J6, Joint Communications Electronics Staff Officer, 1967-1970 World Conflict Affiliation: *Cold War *Vietnam War ** Operation Barrel Roll ** Operation Steel Tiger 1970s Postings & Assignments: Air Education and Training Command * Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama TRI-TAC * Fort Monmouth, New Jersey ** Joint Tactical Communications Office, (TRI-TAC), Joint Communications Systems Officer, 1971-1973 United States Department of the Air Force * The Pentagon, Virginia ** Headquarters USAF, Office of the Vice Chief of Staff, Executive Secretary, Air Staff Board, 1973-1975 United States Army War College * Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania 1976 Pacific Air Forces * Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii ** Commander, 1957th Communications Group and Director of Communications, 15th Air Base Wing, 1976-1978 ** Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, 1978-1979 World Conflict Affiliation: *Cold War 1980s Postings & Assignments: Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff * The Pentagon ** Chief, Defense Communications Division, 1980 ** Senior Communications Officer, J6, Joint Task Force, 1-79, 1980 ** Chief, Contingency/Crisis Management Division, C-3S, 1980-1984 *** ** Assistant Deputy Director For Tactical/Theater C3 Systems, 1984 World Conflict Affiliation: *Cold War *Iran hostage crisis ** Operation Credible Sport *Operation Urgent Fury Later life and death Stan worked for 10 years with ElectroSpace Inc., a defense contractor in Crystal City Virginia where he wrote scenarios for various military operations. He was then self-employed as a consultant before finally retiring in 1998 at the age 67 years 2 months. Stan was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 217 of Springfield, the Valley of Alexandria Scottish Rite and Kena Shriners of Fairfax. Stan died on July 4, 2004. He was survived by his bride and five of their six children. 
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