Purple Heart is Awarded

Clay Bowling, GM3c with the US Navy, has received the Order of the Purple Heart award for his participation in Pacific battles, during which he was wounded.

He is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Albert Bowling. They received a letter this week from Admiral W. F. Halsey, commander of the South Pacific Fleet, informing them of the award. The letter states that the injury occurred as a result of enemy action in the South Pacific area in Oct. 1942.

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Bowling was a member of the crew of the "Swayback Maru,", the oldest heavy cruiser owned by the United States. The true name of the ship is USS Salt Lake City, but she received the nickname, "Swayback Maru," when Correspondent Robert Casey, author of "Torpedo Junction," could not disclose her name in his descriptions of her action. This ship and her crew have received world wide acclaim for her heroism and the heroism of her crew.

The Bowlings had received no word of Clay's injuries until he was allowed to come home in January.

He attended the Hamilton Schools and was an employee of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad before entering the service in November, 1940.


US FLAGBAR

Captain Ernest G. "Shorty" Small
Pinning the Purple Heart on
Clay Bowling, 1942-1943
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US FLAGBAR

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