textbowmanjameseverett1940.html

North High School Wall of Honor
Dr. James Everett Bowman, Ed. D
Class of June, 1940

Research done by Claradell Shedd, class of 1953.

Dr. James Everett Bowman

James Bowman joined the Army in 1943 at Camp Dodge, Iowa. From Camp Dodge, as Private Bowman, he was sent to Keesler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi for basic training, etc. in the Army Air Corps. He became a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen, graduating with that group (44-K-SE on February 1, 1945) and flew as a flight officer for 2-1/2-3 years. He served at various Army Air Corps bases in the South. He survived the crash of his plane in a snake-infested swamp
Bowman, James E. 44-K-SE 2/1/1945 Flt. Officer T68699 Des Moines IA
After retiring from military service, James Bowman returned to the Des Moines area and attended Drake University, gaining his BS at Drake. From Drake, he went to Texas where he taught education and psychology at Wiley College, Marshall, Texas, in concert with obtaining his Master's at Wiley. After his time at Wiley College, he returned to the Des Moines area and taught science at Nathan Weeks Middle School for nine years. Eventually, Dr. Bowman entered administrative roles in the Des Moines educational community, advancing to Assistant Superintendent of Instruction for the Des Moines Public Schools. Dr. Bowman is and has been an active leader in various civic and community organizations. He continues to lecture nationally on multi-cultural educational issues, black history, and his experiences as a “Tuskegee Airman.” The Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI) is a foundation dedicated to preserving the history of America's first black military airmen. http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/.
Locally, Dr. James E. Bowman is one of the founding members of the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center’s board of directors.

Tuskegee Airmen:
The first training facility for black combat pilots was offered at Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama from 1941-1945. Of the 992 graduate airmen who became the 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Composite Group, 450 saw combat during World War Two including 200 escort missions without losing a bomber to enemy fighter planes. Iowa had twelve graduate airmen including several of the most notable and a number of others who trained but where "washed-out" for often unjust reasons. Moton Field at Tuskegee was built by prominent black engineer Archie Alexander who was a native of Ottumwa.


Republic P47N Thunderbolt		Dr. James Everett Bowman, Tuskegee Airman

Dr. James Everett Bowman's story is in "Heroes Among Us", a book by Jane Cox; February, 2003
As he is depicted:
James Bowman – Attending Iowa State University when he heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He volunteered for the Army Air Corps and went on to become a Tuskegee Airman (African American fighter pilots). After the war, Bowman completed his education at Drake University and later become the assistant superintendent of the Des Moines School District.
He will be portrayed by Langley Neely, a junior community and regional planning and performing arts double major from Chicago, Ill.


Graduating Class, Tuskegee Airmen Bowman; front row, second from left		James Everett Bowman, Tuskegee Airman

References

The comprehensive list of names from North High's 1893-2018 graduation classes are from Claradell Shedd's North Des Moines High School website. The names of North High School graduates can be found online at: http://www.ndmhs.com/. James Everett Bowman's 1940 class page is: http://ndmhs.com/pages/yearclass1940(1990.50).html.

12/05/09: Dr. James Everett Bowman is currently living in Des Moines, IA. Died in Pittsburgh, PA; 01/13/14.

Music: "Wind Beneath My Wings"