Earl J. Rowse Papers, 1941-1945

(Manuscript Collection #522)

Title:	Earl J. Rowse Papers
Creator:	Rowse, Earl Jeanney, b. 1918
Repository:	ECU Manuscript Collection
Languages:	English
Abstract:	Papers (1941-1945) including correspondence, an article, biographical data, personnel list, comments, sketch, etc.
Extent:	0.25 Cubic feet, 6 items , consisting of correspondence, an article, biographical data, and a personnel list.

Accessions Information

January 7, 1987, 2 items; Letter (1986) and biographical sketch of U.S. Marine Corps officer of USNA Class of 1941.

June 26, 1987, 3 items; An article reprint, commendation, and personnel list.

November 16, 1987, 4 items; Correspondence (1987) and biographical information. Donor: Col. Earl J. Rowse, USMC (Ret.), San Jose, Calif.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions

Copyright Notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.

Preferred Citation

Earl J. Rowse Papers (#522), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

Acquisition Information

• Gift of Col. Earl J. Rowse, USMC (Ret.)

Processing Information

• Processed by C. Crews, June 1991

• Encoded by Apex Data Services

Col. Earl Jeanney Rowse, USMC (Ret.) (1918-), graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1941. He later (ca. 1964) received his Master's Degree from George Washington University. He served in the Pacific theater during World War II, with the 2nd Marine Division during the amphibious assaults on Tulagi, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Saipan, and with the 5th Amphibious Corps, commanding the 2nd 155mm Howitzer Battalion at Iwo Jima. Col. Rowse also saw action in the Chosin Reservoir, in North Korea (1950). Promoted to Colonel in 1958, he was assigned as Chief, Supporting Arms Section at the Marine Corps Landing Force Development Center at Quantico, Virginia. During the Cuban Missile Crisis (1961-1962), Col. Rowse served as Chief of Staff, 5th Marine Amphibious Brigade. He capped his twenty-six years of active service with a tour as Deputy G-3, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, during the Vietnam build-up. Recipient of numerous combat decorations, he retired in 1967, at which time he entered the employ of Lockheed in California.

This collection chronicles the actions of the 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, 2nd Marine Division Fleet Marine Force (later the 2nd 155mm Howitzer Battalion) during World War II, as experienced by Col. Rowse. A member of the first Naval Academy class to be graduated early due to war developments, Col. Rowse was appointed commander of this unit in 1945. "Amphibious Artillery," an article written by Col. Rowse and published in Field Artillery Journal (Mar.-Apr. 1948), gives a synopsis of the thirty-three months of duty the outfit saw from July 1942 through March 1945. The article discusses battles at Tulagi (1942), Guadalcanal (1942), Tarawa (1943), Saipan (1944), Guam (1944), and Iwo Jima (1945). The unit supported five amphibious assault operations and earned four Presidential Unit Citations and two Navy Unit Citations, the text of one of which is found in this collection (1944).

Also found in the collection are a list of officers of the unit (1945) and a biographical sketch of Col. Rowse. Correspondence written by Col. Rowse includes a brief sketch of his unit's history and a promotional history of the Naval Academy (Marines) Class of 1941 (May 15, 1986), discusses the 1943 Tarawa battle (Oct. 30, 1987), and comments on the accuracy of the book Howling Mad vs the Army (Aug. 28, 1987).