John B. Dowdy, Jr. was born on February 28, 1918 in Georgia. His parents John and Eva were also both born in Georgia. His father died in 1919 at age 26, perhaps during the worldwide influenza epidemic. John had one older brother.

John entered the army on June 15, 1939 from being a graduate of the University of Georgia. He was a lieutenant before the war started and was promoted to captain and company commander, soon after the war started, in the 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Dvision. He was a major and the 2nd Battalion executive officer when he landed on Utah Beach during the second wave on D-Day. Two days later, when its commanding officer was wounded, John was put in command of the 1st Battalion.

In the next three weeks he led his men from one victory to another. When one engagement on June 15 resulted in the loss of all company officers and most of its non-coms, Major Dowdy assumed direct command and his men captured the objective. For this action he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

His DSC citation reads as follows:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Major (Infantry) John Dowdy (ASN: 0-378954), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with as Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 22d Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 15 June 1944.

On that date, fierce artillery, machinegun, mortar and small arms fire inflicted heavy casualties upon Lieutenant Colonel Dowdy's command as it attacked high ground. One assault company, having lost all of its officers and most of its key non-commissioned officers, became completely demoralized; withdrawal was imminent. Friendly tanks operating in support of the attack began to retreat. Realizing that his entire command was threatened with annihilation, Lieutenant Colonel Dowdy, disregarding completely his own safety, moved afoot through a hail of fire and personally directed the fire of the tanks upon the enemy. Courageously he proceeded forward unfalteringly to the forward elements of his command. While under fire, he organized them for an attack.

Lieutenant Colonel Dowdy's exemplary actions spearheaded a devastating assault, which resulted in the capture of the strongly fortified position and more than 100 prisoners.

A week later his battalion held a position for six straight days, preventing the Germans from reinforcing Cherbourg. He was wounded in the right leg by German artillery shrapnel on the last day of the battle, but refused to be evacuated until the Germans surrendered. He was award the Silver Star and was sent back to England to recover.

On September 1, now Lt. Col. Dowdy returned to serve in the 22nd IR HQ staff. Three days later he was back in command of 1st Battalion. By September 14, the 22nd IR had breached the Siegfried Line. They were up against SS troops.

On September 16, 1944 the 1st Battalion took a critical hill that the SS was bound to take back. Lt. Col. Dowdy ordered everyone to dig in and then circulated about his men, making sure everything was set to repel an enemy attack. A violent German artillery and mortar attack was the heaviest ever experienced by the 22nd IR. The shelling wounded 35 men and killed eight others, including Lt. Col. Dowdy who was awarded another Silver Star for his leadership and bravery under fire.

In a letter to Lt. Col. Dowdy's mother, his commanding officer Colonel Buck Lanham wrote:

"….I have seen many officers and many men go down. Each one, no matter how humble, has been a blow and a personal loss to me. But I say truthfully that never has a death so stunned me as that of John. And the Regiment shared that grief with me. John was worshipped by his battalion; it was a form of hero worship, and John was a hero and died a hero, in the true sense of that much abused word."

You can read more about Lt. Col. Dowdy at www.1-22infantry.org/history4/dowdy.htmand
www.1-22infantry.org/commanders/dowdypers.htm.

His grave is at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Tifton, Georgia. His mother lived to nearly her 101st birthday and died in 2000, a widow for 81 years.

Thank you John for your sacrifice.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. The goal is to see stories of all the 400,000+ US WW2 fallen saved all to see, now and in the future. A smartphone app will allow people scan the names of the fallen at any war memorial or cemetery and get a link to their stories.

John B. Dowdy Jr.