Nathan Clinton Bowen
b. 30 January 1918, Carlisle, Sullivan County, Indiana, to Claude Clinton and Pearl May (Shipp) Bowen
d. 26 December 1989, Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina
m. 1 Jun 1938, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Bertha May (Green) Lackey
b. 13 November 1914, Bradford, McKean County, Pennsylvania, to Elba Seymour and Margaret “Minnie” (Butler) Green
d. 9 August 1971, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Children with Bertha May Lackey:
- James Nathan (1938-1941)
- Nathan Clinton, Jr. (b. 1940)
- Jacqueline Jean (b. 1942) married Mr. Virag
- Carol Ann (b. 1943) married Mr. McCracken
- Claude David (1945-1980)
- Paul Revere (1948-2003)
- Sharon Lee (b. 1953) married Mr. Kokoruda
Nathan’s family originally came to Indiana in 1836 from Jessamine County, Kentucky. He was born in Haddon Township of Sullivan County, Indiana, and worked on a farm until he was 18 and joined the Army. While on furlough in 1937, he met his future wife at the Great Lakes Exposition in Cleveland, Ohio. They married on 1 June 1938, and he was honorably discharged a little over a year later at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana.
He and Bertha May settled in Cleveland where they raised their family. She was born Bertha May Green, but after her mother divorced Elba Green in 1924 and married James Joseph Lackey, Bertha was adopted by Lackey and changed her name to Lackey.
In March of 1944, Nathan was drafted and served with Company D, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. He was severely wounded in action outside of Aachen, Germany and was hospitalized in England before being transported to a hospital in Pennsylvania. He was again honorably discharged on August 3, 1945.
Nathan was a machinist and worked at the Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company, Cleveland Rock Drill Division of Leroy Company, and was Forman at the Elwell Parker Electric Company,
making electric customized truck lifts. He retired from Elwell Parker in 1978 and later moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, to live with his daughter, Carol Ann, due to ill health.
For his combat service during World War II, Nathan received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Bronze Star Attachment, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Honorable Discharge Service Lapel Button WW II, Expert Infantry Badge, and Sharpshooter Badge with Carbine and Rifle Bar.
Submitted by:
Nathan Clinton Bowen, Jr.
Fayetteville, NC
E-mail: bowenate@aol.com