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LTC CHARLES T. MCDOWELL
(Honorary)
Lieutenant Colonel McDowell, a former Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Arlington State College, is honored for his professional achievements during a long and illustrious career in the United States Army and for his service to his community and to the University of Texas at Arlington.
LTC McDowell began his military career as an ROTC cadet at John Tarleton Agricultural College in 1939. He attended the Agricultural and Mechanical college of Texas from 1941-1943. He graduated in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. After graduation he attended Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the U. S. Army. After commissioning, LTC McDowell was assigned to teach the ASTP Course at Fort Benning. He then attended the Basic Airborne Course, also at Fort Benning, and after completion was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and the 11th airborne Division. He additionally served with the 97th Infantry Division in Europe. His early assignments included various command positions from Platoon Leader to Battalion Commander. During later assignments LTC McDowell was a Professor, Tokyo Army College; 1946-1948 and was Commandant and Director; 1947-1948. From 1947-1949 he was Information and Education Officer for the Eight U. S. Army and later the 82nd Airborne Division. From 1955-1958 he was a Professor of Russian language, history, economics, geography, and political science in a classified joint military/civilian intelligence agency and Chief of the research division, 1956-1958. In 1959 LTC McDowell was an Instructor for the Command and General Staff College in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Hawaii.
In addition to the Armor Officer Advanced Course at Fort Knox, KY, LTC McDowell has attended the Defense Language Institute, the Foreign Area Specialist Program, and the Defense Intelligence Course. He is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College and of a two year Soviet-East Europe Advanced Foreign Area Studies Program at the doctoral level. LTC McDowell received an MA Degree from Columbia University in 1953 and in 1956 a PHD from Texas A&M.
LTC McDowell came to Arlington State College now (UTA) as a Major in 1959 and was Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics. He was promoted to LTC and from 1960 to 1964 served as PMS&T. While at Arlington State College, LTC McDowell was sponsor of the Pistol Team, Rifle Team, the Sam Houston Rifles(drill Team), and the Cadet’s Officers’ Club. After Leaving Arlington State College he served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff prior to his retirement in 1965. During this assignment he was Intelligence Officer of the Airborne Command Post. LTC McDowell was a Master Parachutist and has been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the American Defense Service, American Campaign, European Campaign, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medals, the WWII Victory, Army of Occupation Medals, the Korean Service, and the United Nations Medals. LTC McDowell has served as a Diplomatic Courier and USSR Specialist, as well as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department in the former Soviet Union, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Additionally he was Senior Area Administrator for the Job Corps which entailed supervision of all centers in the United States between the Mississippi River and Rocky Mountains.
Dr. McDowell returned to Arlington State College as an Assistant Professor of Foreign Languages in 1966. He became an Associate Professor at University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 1969 and Professor in 1978. In 1970 Dr. McDowell became the Director of the Soviet and East European Center (now post Soviet and East European Studies Center) at UTA, and from 1988 to 1991 served as Chairman, Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics. Dr. McDowell also served as Assistant to the President (1966-67) and Dean of Student Life (1967-1968) while at UTA. Dr. McDowell has served on numerous committees as well as the Faculty Council and Faculty Senate. He sponsored a number of student activities including Alpha Phi Omega ( national “service” society), Alpha Chi (national scholastic society), The Soviet and East European Club, and the Student Congress. Dr. McDowell was selected as a member of Outstanding Educators in America in 1972 and was UTA Outstanding Teacher for 1973-1974. He has been elected four times as the individual UTA candidate for the Piper Award which recognizes the 10 outstanding professors in the state and was listed in the Directory of American Scholars in 1978.
During the past 25 years, Dr. McDowell has made numerous weekly platforms, TV, radio or service club appearances concerning the Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China, and subjects related primarily to Eastern Europe. Dr. McDowell is an author and co-author of many articles, documents, and books, including classified government documents concerning the Soviet Union. He drafted part of the UTA “Handbook for Operational Procedures.” He is author of numerous book reviews published by the Dallas Morning News and has been editor of many classified documents. A s Director of the Center for Post Soviet and East European Studies, Dr. McDowell has served as either chief translator or as editor on projects conducting non-classified technical, industrial, and scientific translation both from English to Russian and from Russian to English. He also translated numerous industrially classified documents for business organization attempting to establish joint ventures with countries in the former USSR.
Dr. McDowell is a member of many professional organizations and is active in the community affairs, such as the Kiwanis Club and church work. He was president of the Arlington Good Times Corps from 1977 to 1981. Dr. McDowell has over 60 years of service to the Boy Scouts of America and was the first Eagle Scout in San Saba, TX. He has served as Course Director for several International Woodland Badges and has received the Silver Beaver Award for “Distinguished Service to Boyhood”. Dr. McDowell was married for 20 years to Mary Frances McDowell. The father of two children, he has two grandchildren.
LTC McDowell’s performance while Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Arlington State College, his achievements in service to his country and his local community, as well as his service to the University, have brought great credit and recognition upon himself, the United States Army and the University of Texas at Arlington