Edward J Biow
PFC in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : HQ & Service Co
ASN#32358200
Born 1921 in NY, Died 2016
Artist
County of residence at enlistment: Queens County, NY
Other residence(s): Lake Oswego, OR in 1998 and 2002; Stafford, OR in 2002; Portland, OR in 2003
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: unskilled occupations in manufacture of paper and pulp
College education before the war: Pratt 3 years
Ed Biow was born on July 19, 1921 in Manhattan, the older of two children. His father Jesse owned an advertising company, J. M. Biow, in New York City. His father's first cousin, Milton, was also in the business, and considered to be one of the pioneers of modern advertising with The Biow Company. So clearly advertising ran in the family.
Ed studied at Pratt, and while he was there took a lab course in camouflage R&D. He was just "amateuring around," he later said, but it led him, with other Pratt students, into the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion.
Ed registered for the draft on February 15, 1942, and enlisted on June 22, 1942, right after he graduated from Pratt. He saw European service with the Ghost Army.
After the war, he pursued a career in advertising, working for his father's company. In 1952 he married Gloria Stevenson.
At some point he appears to have taken over his father's company, and eventually he and Gloria relocated to the Portland, OR area.
He died on July 19, 2016 in Milwaukie, OR.
NOTE: Click here to read an interview with Ed about his experience in the Ghost Army, conducted by the daughter of fellow GA veteran George Rittenhouse.
Sources:
1940 census
1942 draft card
1942 enlistment record
1952 marriage record
1994 US phone and address directories; Portland, OR
1997-2001 US phone and address directories; Lake Oswego, OR