Wlaf1450SFC Earnest Lon Lowe gave his life to save the others in his platoon
ROYAL BLUE, TENNESSEE (WLAF)- Earnest Lon Lowe was his given name though his family and a lot of people in the community called him “Stud”. He grew up outside Royal Blue along with 16 siblings, and in Sep. 1958, the following year after graduating from Jacksboro High School, he enlisted in the U-S Army.
“He was a career military man. However, he was out for about month after his first stint and signed back up,” said younger brother Clarence Lowe.
“We were a mountain family. Our father already had a family, and his wife died, and he married our mother. There was a bunch of us,” said Clarence.
Earnest attended school at Royal Blue, Turley, Caryville and on to Jacksboro for high school. Former U-S Marine Robert Morton was one of Earnest’s classmates in the JHS Class of 1957.
“He was deployed in 1968, and I remember before going he helped us dig our uncle’s grave in January at Meredith Cemetery at Stinking Creek,” said Clarence.
Sergeant First Class Earnest Lon Lowe was an Infantry soldier who served in the U-S Army’s 1st Cavalry Division.
Early in Earnest’s nine months in ‘Nam, he was awarded the Bronze Star for his heroic service during combat.
In October, Earnest was on a mission near Hue. Hue is a coastal city in central Vietnam. “He saved lot of lives that night,” said Clarence. It was the night of Oct. 15, 1968, when 28-year old Earnest gave his life to save the rest of his team’s lives earning him a Purple Heart and another Bronze Star.
He left behind his wife Jewell and three year old daughter, Deborah.
Earnest Lowe was the second soldier from Royal Blue to make the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Ernest Gibson was killed in action on August 8, 1966.
The Silver Star and Oak Leaf Cluster were awarded to Earnest Lowe. SP4 Gibson also received the Purple Heart.
Family members daughter Deborah Dawson, Jewell Hutson-wife, sister Mary Lou Payne and brother Clarence Lowe attended Thursday’s Veterans Banner Ceremony hosted by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1148.
“I thought Thursday’s event was a special memorial in honoring the 12 men who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I know my brother would have been so proud. He is still missed and loved by our family. We are fortunate to live in this great country because of men like the 12 honored. Proud to be an American!,” Clarence Lowe.
(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-05/26/2025-6AM)