Andrew Lowndes III served in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on the USS Hornet during World War II. A Pilot, he was declared missing in action on January 12, 1943 when his Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat was shot down by friendly fire. He had been returning from a mission at Espiritu Santo Island, Hebrides during the taking of Guadalcanal. He was awarded the Purple Heart.
