Message from Grover M. Yowell's son Gary informed us that his father passed away 20 June 2009.
BIO PROVIDED BY SON GARY
Grover M. Yowell was born in Paducah, Texas on October 30, 1928, son of Grover M. and Mildred Wilson Yowell. He attended Nicholas Blackwell high school in Bartlett, Tennessee, and entered the Navy through the Aviation Midshipman Program in May 1946. He received his wings in October 1949 and joined Patrol Squadron Five in Jacksonville, Florida in 1950 when he was assigned as Electronics Officer, and was designated a Patrol Plane Commander in P2V aircraft. In July 1953, he entered the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California. He was awarded BS and MS degrees in Engineering Electronics in June 1956. Thereafter, he joined Air Development Squadron ONE where he managed various ASW evaluation programs.
In July 1959, he was transferred to the Naval Air Development Center, Warminster, Pennsylvania, where he directed the ANEW Program for the development of an integrated avionics system structured around a central digital Computer. The outgrowth of this program and system is now an integral part of all P3C aircraft.
Admiral Yowell joined COMFAIRHAWAII as Staff Avionics Officer in August 1962. While in this assignment, he planned and established integrated maintenance facilities at the inception of the 3M maintenance program.
In September 1965, Admiral Yowell was selected for advanced education and assigned to Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. He entered the Department of Engineering Economics Systems and was awarded a PhD in October 1968
He then joined the ASW Systems Project Office in November 1968 and was responsible for the management, planning and programming of Air Anti-Submarine Warfare projects.
In August 1972, he was assigned as Naval Plant Representative, Burbank California. He became Commander of the Naval Air Development Center Warminster, Pennsylvania in June 1974.
In June 1976 he was ordered to the Headquarters, Naval Air Systems Command, Washington, DC, where he was assigned as Assistant Commander for Research and Technology.
On June 1977 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and on July 1, 1977, he became Manager of the Navy Space Project in the Headquarters, Naval Electronic Systems Command, Washington, DC, with additional duties as Director, Space and Command and Control and Communications (C3) Division (OP-986). He was also Assistant for Ocean Surveillance Space Systems (OP-095W) in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
Admiral Yowell was awarded the Legion of Merit and Meritorious Service Medal in addition to other service medals.
Rear Admiral Yowell leaves his wife, the former Billie Marie Gasperson of Maysville, North Carolina and they had 3 sons, Gary, Brett and Robert.