Roll of Honor
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Benjamin F. Fow, Jr.
- School: Columbia College
- Class Year: 1953
- War: Korean War
- Date of Death: March 25, 1955
First Lieutenant Benjamin F. Fow Jr., U.S. Marines, was killed in the crash of a TV-2 jet trainer in a storm near El Paso, Texas. He was a student jet pilot with only two weeks to go in his training course. He had played varsity football and basketball at Columbia and was in the Naval Reserve Training Program at Columbia as well.
Tributes
I always heard the most amazing stories about my Uncle Benny. He was killed when my father, his youngest brother Bobby, was only 6, so I never got to meet him. But we always heard nothing but the best about Uncle Benny. He was a star athlete, excellent student, a big brother to look up to, and the golden boy of my grandmother’s six sons in New York City. She wrestled with each of them not to follow in their brother Benny’s footsteps in-flight after his death, but she couldn’t keep them out of the air (especially since their father was also a pilot). Three of his five brothers, including my father, became airline pilots (both brothers also served in the Navy & Army). My older Uncle Bruce obeyed his mother by staying on the ground, but still kept his head in the sky: he became a well renowned rocket scientist for Rockwell, Boeing, the Armed Forces, and NASA (helped save Apollo projects). I eventually followed the dream and became a pilot, as well. My father became an instructor at one point and began my flight log book and others’, including his own father-in-law, my grandfather’s. Though Uncle Benny was taken from this earth young, he inspired generations to follow their dreams and literally reach for and touch the sky. I’m honored to be in the family of “Flying Fows” and live our legacy beyond his years. Thank you for your service and inspiration.
- Mary Katherine Fow
Is any of our information incorrect? You can submit corrections, additional photos, and/or tributes to uarchives@columbia.edu.