Tom started life in the small Midwestern town of Aledo, Illinois. He graduated from Aledo High School in 1939, and joined the United States Navy. He went through boot camp in the Great Lakes region and upon graduation for EM(A) school was assigned to the USS Alywin (DD 355) in 1940. He met the love of his life, Alice M. King at a USO dance, December 6, 1941, in San Diego, the night before Pearl Harbor was attacked.

Tom decided that Dolphins were in his future; he applied for, was accepted, and graduated from sub school in 1942. He and Alice were married while in sub school, July 18, 1942, in New London, Conn., and spent the next sixty-one years caring for and loving each other.

Tom's first sub was the USS Pelias (AS 14). After two months he was transferred to the USS Trout (SS 202) where he made eight war patrols in the Pacific before leaving her in December of 1943 while she was on overhaul in S.F. Calif. The Trout went back on patrol and was in an area where an 87,000 ton Japanese freighter was sunk. The freighter was being escorted by sub killers, the Trout was presumed lost with all hands. He subsequently served on the USS Hardhead (SS 365), USS Blueback (SS 326), USS Redfish (SS 395) and his final boat the USS Queenfish (SS 393). He was commissioned in October of 1955 in Newport Rhode Island.

LCDR Thomas E. Bower U.S.N. retired from the Navy in November of 1966 after 27 years of service. He went on to work as a civil servant, again for the navy, and spent the next seventeen years as the Submarine Antenna Rep. at Ballast Point.

Tom was a lifetime member of the U.S. Submarine Veterans of WWII, San Diego chapter, and was proud to have spent three terms as president of the local chapter. He was a member of the Elks lodge #168 and was a fifty one year member of Mason Lodge #252 in Aledo, Illinois.

Tom was a avid golfer, at one time becoming a single digit handicap. He loved going out to Admiral Baker for his regular games with his buddies.

Tom is survived by his wife Alice Bower, San Diego, Calif., daughters Catherine Dellor, Los Altos, Calif., Linda Fielding, Santa Cruz, Calif., his son Thomas Bower, Solana Beach, Calif., six grandchildren, Sean, Evan, Sam, Sophie, Tommy, Breezy, and sister Peggy Schrader, Edgewater, Flordia.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1-877-272-6226 or go online to PanCam. Services will be held at Beardsley Mitchell Mortuary on Sunset Cliffs Blvd. January 17 at 1 p.m. Reception to follow at Sacred heart Church Hall. Please sign the guest book at obituaries.uniontrib.

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on 12/30/2003.