Military man in Austin H. Winn’s letters 1
Mentioned in letters as: C. A. Rowe
Enlisted man on Austin’s new July 1945 crew list. May correspond to one of the harder-to-read standing signatures (Ricker / Cotter / Frost) on the City of Annapolis crew photograph in manuscript chapter 18; handwriting match is uncertain.
FACT from the letters: On 4 July 1945 Austin listed “C.A. Rowe” among the enlisted men on his new crew.
FACT from the photograph: The ink over the second standing man appears to read “C. A. Rowe.”
HYPOTHESIS: That signature is the letters’ C. A. Rowe. Research did not find a public record that proves it.
FACT from a public page, and not this man: The 19th Bomb Group file lists William T. Rowe, a 1st lieutenant, 28th Bomb Squadron, Air Medal dated 10 July 1945, General Order 140. Initials, rank, and squadron do not match an enlisted C. A. Rowe, so that file is not claimed. No obituary found here names C. A. Rowe with the 19th Bomb Group or this crew.
Sources: 20af.org — William T. Rowe; 20af.org — 19th Bomb Group roster (R).