Paul Barkley Bowman entered the U.S. Army in 1966 and served in the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC)/Technical Escort Unit at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland.

In 1969, Captain Bowman was deployed to Vietnam as a Chemical officer with the Chemical Detachment, Headquarter Headquarters Company (HHC), 25th Infantry Division. On 31 January 1970, he was aboard a helicopter that was shot down north of Tay Ninh in an area called “Mo Con Woods.” He was one of three Chemical Corps officers aboard the Huey helicopter dispatched on a mission to provide aerial support for ground forces. The helicopter began making low level runs over the enemy bunker complex, with Captain Bowman arming and dropping clusters of CS riot control agent bomblets, while the crew laid suppressing fire. On one of these passes the aircraft was hit, and crashed into the jungle canopy, killing all seven Soldiers on board; they were from Bravo Company, 25th Aviation Battalion, 25th Infantry Division: CW2 Ronald J. Fulton, pilot; 2LT Michael L. Arrant, copilot; SGT John T. Rodgers, gunner; SGT Jerald D. West, crew chief; and passenger from HHC 25th Infantry Division CPT John L. Beek; CPT Paul B. Bowman, and CPT Jerry David. The efforts of all onboard the helicopter saved the lives of many Soldiers on the ground that day.

Captain Bowman’s awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Parachutist Badge and Senior Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge.