Air Medal Recipient For “Exceptional meritorious service in aerial flight over enemy occupied continental Europe.”His Fate

What his first cousin Norman Buchmiller told me: "You know, Lowell flew a total of 59 missions. Once he burned his hands and spends some time in the hospital. He was on a training or practice mission when he went down. We were told that he missed the target, which was out in the North Sea, the first two times he made his passes. Knowing Lowell, I can just imagine what went through his mind. He was the kind of guy who would have said, "I'm not missing this time." You know, he was my closest cousin. I played with him when we were small. When he died, we were all torn apart."

A son of a Major Clark, who flew with Lowell, sent the following: “12-14-1944; Since there were no missions scheduled today, Major Clark and three other pilots went on a practice mission over the English Channel. During a low-level maneuver, Lt. Lowell Buchmiller’s wing tip hit a wave, while he was making a tight turn, causing his plane to cartwheel and explode, killing him.”