lest we forget

LOWE, WALTER BEDFORD JR.

Rank / Branch:

  • STAFF SERGEANT (POSTHUMOUS), U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1947-02-03

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE-EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

Unit:

  • 173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE

Date Of Loss:

  • 1969-09-16

Loss Coordinates:

  • PLEIKU

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • LOWE, WALTER BEDFORD JR. STAFF SERGEANT, GARDEN CITY, GLASSCOCK COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • COMBAT INFANTRYMAN'S BADGE, PARACHUTE WINGS, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • Walter was born in San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas. He was the son of Martha C. Bryan and Walter Bedford Lowe, Sr. His father was a prominent rancher near Garden City, Glasscock County, Texas. He was an only child. He played football, basketball and ran track at Garden City High. He transferred to Big Lake and graduated with the 1965 class at Reagan County High School. While in high school, both at Garden City High School and Reagan County High in Big Lake, he was also very active in 4 H and Future Farmers of America, FFA. He won several trophies for his livestock projects. After graduation in 1965, he attended The Schreiner Institute in Kerrville, Texas and also attended Lubbock Christian University in Lubbock, Texas.
  • He was drafted into the Army in January 1968. He completed basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, Advanced Individual Training in infantry (AIT) at Fort Ord, California. He was selected for the Non-Commissioned Officer Candidate's Academy at Harmony Church at Fort Benning, Georgia, Class 9-69. He graduated on November 26, 1968, and received a promotion to Sergeant E-5. A classmate was Lorenzo Chapa, Jr of San Angelo who also perished in Vietnam and is buried in San Angelo. He completed parachute training at Fort Benning, Georgia and other leadership schools at Fort Polk, Louisiana and Fort Ord, California enroute to Vietnam. He began his tour on May 5, 1969.
  • He married Mary Lucretia Ashley of Graham, Texas while on leave prior to departing for Vietnam. The ceremony was held in Graham on April 19, 1969. Mary was a student at Angelo State University when they met.
  • In Vietnam, he was assigned as a squad leader to D Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. He and another soldier were killed by a land mine on September 16, 1969.
  • His funeral service was held in Graham, and he was buried with full military honors in the Fairmont Cemetery in San Angelo, Texas. His parents are now buried next to him in the family plot. He was posthumously promoted to Staff Sergeant and received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. His wife passed away in 2020 and was cremated.
  • SCHREINER INSTITUTE, KERRVILLE, TEXAS 1966
  • FAIRMONT CEMETERY, SAN ANGELO, TEXAS