He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Aviation Branch inWorld War I. After the war, he was known as a barnstorming pilot whodid acrobatics. "William B. Gowen" was mentioned in "Wings overIdaho--An Aviation History" written by Dr. Arthur Hart." He wasidenti-fied as a "well known local pilot who had flown the Idaho backcountry since 1931." Once William B. Gowen drew special praise for"flying at night with fireworks decorating his plane." Dr. Hartwrote, "In March 1931, William B. Gowen flew his Haddock Travelair toan improvised landing area in a small pasture at the old Coswell ranchnear Big Creek to pick up Noel Routson, a young forest serviceemployee who had been struck by an avalanche of snow and rocks whileworking on a forest trail. Gowen landed on the postage stamp field,loaded his passenger into the flying ambulance, and after a brief stopat Cascade, carried him on to Boise where he was taken to thehospital." In his later years William Wasmer Gowen was anaccountant. He died November 14, 1955 at Boise and was buried inCanyon Hill, Cemetery. Children born to William Wasmer Gowen andAgnes Bicknell Gowen are unknown.
Edward Von Reisenkampff Ulrich
MILITARY: Fought in World War I