Freddie Stowers

Twice wounded, he urged his company forward to take the hill

Freddie Stowers was born at Sandy Springs, South Carolina, on 12 January 1896. He worked on his family’s farm before entering the United States Army in 1917. He was married to Pearl and had a daughter, Minnie Lee. Training at Camp Jackson brought him into the 371st Infantry Regiment, an African American unit in a segregated army.

The regiment went to France in 1918 and served under French command. Its soldiers trained with French equipment and fought with the 157th Division. Stowers became a corporal and squad leader in Company C.

On 28 September 1918 his company attacked Hill 188 near Ardeuil-et-Montfauxelles. German defenders appeared to surrender, then reopened fire as the Americans approached. The resulting casualties deprived the company of much of its leadership. Stowers rallied the survivors and led the assault against a machine-gun position and the first trench line. He continued toward the next defended position despite being badly wounded. Hit again, he kept encouraging his men until he died. Their renewed attack helped capture the hill.

Stowers was buried at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery. His death ended his military career and left a young family without him. An early recommendation for the Medal of Honor was not processed. Decades later, an Army review recovered the evidence and reconsidered his case. On 24 April 1991, President George H. W. Bush presented the decoration to his surviving sisters.

The belated award recognized the leadership of a soldier who had fought effectively despite discrimination within his own country’s forces. It also encouraged the further examination of overlooked awards to African American servicemen.