James L. Fowler

Colonel James Loftus Fowler (January 11, 1931 – January 20, 2015) was an American Marine who was the founder of the Marine Corps Marathon, an annual race since 1976 in Washington, D.C.. He was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars.[1] that draws tens of thousands of athletes. The race was to serve as a United States Marine Corps recruiting tool, raise money for injured Marines, and give Marines a chance to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

A native of Mineola, New York, During his service in the Korean War and Vietnam War, Colonel Fowler was the recipient of two Bronze Stars, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, and two Purple Hearts.

Fowler earned one of the Purple Hearts in 1968, while serving as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marines as battalion commander of the Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, in action near the Bến Hải River on the border between North and South Vietnam.

This Purple Heart medal served as the model for the United States Postal Service's Purple Heart stamp, which was issued in 2003. He died on January 20, 2015, in Alexandria, Virginia, at the age of 84. He was buried at the Arlington National Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Betsy Goodwyn Blackwell.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "MCM History". Marine Corps Marathon. Marine Corps Marathon. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Perkins, Derrick (23 January 2015). "Colonel behind Marine Corps Marathon dies". Marine Corps Times. Gannett Government Media Site. A Military Times Group. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
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