Saluting our veterans: Dawson “Dee” Dowden

Dawson “Dee” Dowden enlisted in the Air Force at the age of 17 and served from Feb. 19, 1960 to Jan. 18, 1965.
     The Air Force was his choice since there was a base in his hometown of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and he had been in the Air Explorer Boy Scouts program.
     Dowden was sent to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
     In basic, the men were asked how many could play an instrument. Dowden raised his hand since he had played the baritone in his high school band. He was assigned to play the baritone bugle in the drum and bugle corps. This extended basic training an extra week for him. The drum and bugle corps paraded, marched in formation and reviewed in front of the general. They could get passes to go off base, which was very neat, considering generally there are no passes off base in basic training.
 
Read more in the December 6 edition of the STAR.
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