McGowan was promoted to sergeant major of the 114th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division in 1918. He served in Europe, and took part in the Meuse-Argonne and Alsace campaigns. In late 1918 the Army asked commanders to recommend students from the ranks for attendance at the United States Military Academy, and McGowan's brigade commander, John McAuley Palmer, recommended him. McGowan attended West Point from 1919 to 1922, but resigned without graduating and returned to the New Jersey National Guard.[2]
Later in 1944 he was assigned as Provost Marshal for the Normandy Base Section, and his responsibilities expanded to include Brittany, the Lower Seine, Belgium and the Netherlands.[6]
After the war McGowan returned to his position as New Jersey's Assistant Adjutant General. He was subsequently appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the New Jersey Department of Defense.[7]
Post World War II
In 1947 McGowan was promoted to brigadier general. From 1948 to 1955 he was commander of the 50th Armored Division as a major general.[8]
From 1955 to 1959 McGowan was Chief of the Army Division at the National Guard Bureau.[9]
In 1959 he was named Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and he served until 1963.[10]
During his tenure the National Guard successfully mobilized more than 65,000 members during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. In addition, the number of state Officer Candidate Schools increased from 5 to 51. The National Guard also converted its anti-aircraft weapons to Nike-Ajax and Hercules missiles and organized its first Special Forces units.[11]
At his retirement McGowan was the last known Villa Expedition veteran to still be serving in the U.S. military.[12]
McGowan was married to Helen Margaret S. Schoeffel. They had four sons and one daughter, and all the sons all served in the military. Their daughter Margaret graduated from the University of Vermont and was a teacher in Vergennes and a writing instructor at the University of New Hampshire.[18][19]
Donald McGowan (died December 15, 1966) was a career member of the New Jersey Army National Guard.[20]
After his military service Duncan McGowan became an architect in Concord, New Hampshire. He and his artist wife Mary raised two daughters, one who became an architect and one who became professor of South Asian studies at the University of Vermont.[25][26][27]
