Claude Linwell Rowe, Jr. was born in West Virginia on September 29, 1922, and lived on Water Street in Peterstown, Monroe County, West Virginia. His parents were Claude Linwell Rowe Sr (30 Dec 1900 – 27 Nov 1970) and Alma Lee (Davis) Rowe (31 Dec 1904 – 8 May 1981). He had one sibling, a younger brother, Eldridge Eugene Rowe Sr (22 Aug 1924 – 26 Nov 2002). His family called him Linwell Jr. He completed four years of high school, and worked in an unskilled occupation in the manufacture of automobiles. He was single, without dependents, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Morgantown, West Virginia, on August 18, 1942.

He completed Army Air Forces pilot training, and was assigned as copilot on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Robert W. Harriman in the 836th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The Harriman crew arrived at Station 137 on July 5, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

On December 24, 1944 the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stop the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. Lt Harriman's lead crew was chosen to lead the 487th Bomb Group, which led the entire 8th Air Force that day.

Brigadier General Frederick W. Castle, Commanding Officer of the 4th Bomb Wing, flew as air leader with Harriman's crew in the copilot's position. Copilot Lt Rowe moved to the tail gunner's position as Officer Tail Gunner and formation observer, as was the custom. The 487th Bomb Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked by German fighters before reaching the target. Lt Rowe and four of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft, B-17G 44-8444, was shot down by German fighters north of Hody, Belgium, and just south of Rotheux-Rimiere in the municipality of Neupre, province of Liege, Belgium. Five crew members survived.

Lt Rowe's remains were returned to the United States and reinterred at Peterstown Cemetery in Rich Creek, Giles County, Virginia, on Friday, December 12, 1947.

B-17G 44-8444 crew:
• Harriman, Robert W – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Castle, Frederick W – Brig Gen – Air Leader/Copilot – KIA
• MacArty, Henry D – 1/Lt – Navigator – Safe
• Auer, Edmund F – Capt – Pilotage Navigator – Safe
• Biri, Paul L – 1/Lt – Bombardier – Safe
• Procopio, Bruno S – 1/Lt – Radar Operator – KIA
• Rowe Jr, Claude L – 1/Lt – Officer Tail Gunner – KIA
• Hudson, Lowell B – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – Safe
• Jeffers, Quentin W – T/Sgt – Engineer Gunner – Safe
• Swain, Lawrence H – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com