Name: Eldridge Wayne BOWLES
Rank / Rating: S1-Seaman First Class
Service #: 864 13 40
DOB: Jun 12, 1914
From: Camby, IN
Parents: Benjamin Joseph and Bertha May Sayers Bowles
Went Aboard: Oct 08, 1943
Age When Ship Went Down: 31 years, 1 months, 18 days
Spouse: Virginia Mae Bowles (divorced), Kathleen Virginia Mundy, married Sep 1943
Children: Judith Ann Mundy Bowles (age 3), Sandra Kay Bowles (4 months)
Grandchildren: Tricia, Kathy, Stevens Snodgrass; Robert, Scott, Russell, Melissa Vance (and deceased grandaughter: Lori Vance)
Bio Submitted By: Earl and Marilyn Henry and Michael Emery
Date Posted:

Eldridge Wayne Bowles registered for the draft October 16, 1940 at age 26 listing his wife, Virginia Mae Bowles, as the person who would always know where to find him. For employment he listed SELF using his home address: 516 East Iowa Street. Later news articles revealed Eldridge was self-employed delivering coal. Eldridge divorced and later married Kathleen Virginia Mundy in September 1943. He adopted her daughter Judith Ann Mundy.

Eldridge enlisted in the US Navy on July 5, 1943 at Indianapolis, IN. He boarded USS Indianapolis October 8, 1943. He served aboard while Indy participated in 7 engagements for which TEN BATTLES STARS were awarded to the ship. These seven were: Gibert’s Island Operation; Marshall Islands Operation; Asiatic Pacific Raids, Mariana Operations (capture and occupation of Saipan and Guam); Capture and Occupation of Tinian; West Caroline Islands Operation; Iowa Jima Operation; and Okinawa Gunto Operation. Eldridge Bowles survived the kamikaze attack March 31, 1945, however, he was a casualty when Indianapolis was torpedoed and sunk the night of July 30, 1945. His body was never recovered. There are no reports of any crew members seeing Eldridge in the water. His wife, Kathleen would receive two telegrams: the first stating Eldridge was MISSING IN ACTION; the second telegram would arrive a few weeks later advising he was resumed Dead with No Chance of Recovery. Eldridge left behind two daughters: Judith Ann, age 3 and Sandra Kay, 4 months. Eldridge had held his daughters when he was home on leave in April - May while damages were repaired due the kamikaze attack. On Tuesday, October 9, 1945 this announcement of two deaths aboard Indianapolis was posted in The Indianapolis News: Post news article :TWO MEN KILLED ON USS INDIANAPOLIS Sandra Bowles Rigdon, Eldridge’s youngest daughter is a member of the USS Indianapolis CA-35 Legacy Organization and attends the USS Indianapolis Survivors Reunions held in Indianapolis. Sandra participated in VOICES OF THE LOST AT SEA program in 2018 honoring Eldridge. Click on VOICES OF THE LOST AT SEA to view from Time Stamp 0:43 - 1:30. Upon request a flag was flown over the USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial on the canal in Indianapolis in honor of her father, Eldridge Wayne Bowles. The flag was personally delivered by Michael Hussey, friend of USS Indianapolis CA-35 and by Michael William Emery, Nephew and Namesake of William Friend Emery, Seaman First Class, lost at sea. Photographs: Head Shot - One is published in the Indy Commemorative Book Flag delivered by Emery and Hussey Newspaper article - The Indianapolis News, October 9, 1945: TWO Men Killed. . .