Evening star., 1933-10-29
NEGLECTED HERO
WILL Be HONORED
Dennis P. Dowd, Jr., Memo.
rial Sponsored; First Amer
ican in U. S. to Enlist.

Plans for a suitable memorial to an
unSung World War hero, Dennis P.
DoWd, IT.. former Georgetown Univer-
slty student who was said to have been
the hrst American on this side of the
Atlantic to enlist in the World War; are
being formulated by committee of
distinguished New York citizens with
whom the local university is co-operat-
ing. Dowd's body rests in the St. Ger
maine Cemetery in France, near the
spot where he was killed on August IL.
1916. when his airplane crashed nearly
a year before the United States entered
the war.
Comrade Of Alan Seegar and other
pioneer combatantS whose names have
become immortalized, Dowd left his
nome IN Sea Clf1e, Long Island, six
days after the outbreak of the World
War to offer his services to France. He
Joined the French Foreign Legion i'm
mediately after his arrival in Paris.
After two years campaigning with the
Legion and the 10th French Infantry,
he was killed on the eve of his depar-
ture for the front again, this time as a
member of the famous Lafayette Es-
cadrille.
Little Known in U. S.
DoWd'S funeral was attended by many
Americans and French officials, as we'll
as scores of aviators accompanying the
>prtege to the grave. Even in the Sar-
bonpe. in Paris. members of the French
cabinet paid tribute to his courage and
sacrifice. France, herself, has recog-
nized his sacrifice. but in America his
among the heroes of the war Yet in
Paris a crypt bearing hi name awaits
his remains in the famous Lafayette
Memorial.
In seeking poStilumOuS recognition
for Dowd, the committee points out that
his is a war record conspicuous among
those Of Americans whose heroism and
sacrifice on the battlefields of France
have been overlooked in this country.
II was said OF him that had he been
spared he would have become an inter-
national hero of the air.
Industrious Student.
Former classmates Of Dowd in Wash
ington remember him quiet. in
dustrious student, who was personally
popular with his colleagues and active
Of the oe GAS p Of 1908 IN IN the the co1lege e' and
after leaving the HLltOp he obtained
a law degree from Columbia University.
Of ito@n Se1ssn sxls Sas accsptsd R1sn1ds4t Rsbeq
ship on the Memorial Committee, which
was recently organized in New York.
Its executive secretary. F. Darius Ben
ham, visited the college Thursday and
enlisted the support of the student body
in plans to provide suitable memorial.
He suggested to the student body that
they erect modest monument to DoWd
on the campus. Plans are being per-
fected, 1t was made known. to establish
scholarships in his memory in French
universities these tn hp
scholarship for Georgetown students
Before death cut short his career. Dowd
had become well known for his literary
talents.
Heroes Join Plea.
DR.. Nevils feels Dowd's war record
is one which the university should be
proud to honor. Soon after the World
War a group Of memorial trees was
planted on the campus, each named
for Georgetown College student killed
in the war One OF these Is named for
Dowd
The committee which is seeking to
perpetuate the memory of this World
War hero Is composed Of some who
have envious war records. Robert L.
Johnson vice president OF Time. Inc,
is chairman. Besides DR.. Nevils and
Mr. Benham. the other members are
Grover A. Whalen. Kermit Roosevelt,
Lowell Thomas. Gen. J. Leslie Kincaid,
r. Trubee Dawson. former Assistant
Secretary of War for Aviation; Clyde
E. Pangborn, William Randolph Hearst,
jr.; William B. Hester Col. William J.
Donovan. former Assistant to the At
torney General; Louis F. Mouquin. Ed
ward v. Rickenbacker. foremost Ameri
can "ace," and Sam F. Pryor, jr
Mrs. Robert Bacon, daughter-in-law
$Nf for Yt1raC dO1- to EIror
is chairman of Cooperating Wom-
ems Committee.