Kenneth volunteered for service but was not called up until December 1942 and was initially trained as a driver/mechanic. He then became aware of the Aviation Cadet programme, applied and was accepted for Pre-flight school at Santa Anna. He received his pilot's wings and was commissioned 12 March 1944. He turned 20 that August and by November had joined up with the 491st at North PIckenham, flying his first mission 11th December 1944. On the mission to Magdeburg, Germany of February 9th 1945 that were hit by heavy flak and had to bail out, some of the crew being beaten up by German civilians. Kenneth managed to evade for 3 days until he was captured.( Prisoner of War (POW) crashed at Waldorf in 9 Feb 45 in B-24 'Miss Francia' #4251267.) They were turned loose in April and made it to Moosburg after several weeks on the road. Kenneth Rowe stayed on in the Air Force for some 20 years then flew for Virginia State being appointed Director in the Dept of Aviation in 1984.