World War II Honoree

James H. 'Hank' Cowan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fallbrook, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. BATAAN JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR FOR 34 MONTHS. SERVED AS A B-17 ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ BOMBER AIRCRAFT MECHANIC WITH THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES FAR EAST COMMAND, 5TH AIR FORCE, HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS SQUADRON, 19TH BOMB GROUP, STATIONED AT CLARK FIELD, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. WHILE ASSIGNED TO THE 200TH COASTAL ARTILLERY AND ENGAGED IN COMBAT DURING THE BATTLE OF LUZON AND RETREATING TO THE BATAAN PENINSULA, THE JAPANESE INVADING FORCES CAPTURED HIM APRIL 9, 1942. HE WAS FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AND WAS INCARCERATED AT THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #4 O’DONNELL AND LATER THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP #2 CABANATUAN, TARLAC, LUZON. HE WAS LIBERATED FROM CAMP CABANATUAN DURING THE ‘GREAT RAID’ ALONG WITH 500 OTHER PRISONERS, JANUARY 30, 1945 BY THE U.S. ARMY 6TH RANGER BATTALION, ALAMO SCOUTS FROM THE 6TH ARMY AND FILIPINO GUERILLAS. DECORATIONS: PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 4 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, BRONZE STAR MEDAL (AWARDED FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT), PURPLE HEART MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, PHILIPPINE DEFENSE RIBBON WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON, NEW MEXICO NATIONAL GUARD RIBBON AND THE HONORABLE LAPEL BUTTON.