Joseph Sowa enlisted into the Army after completing two years of community college. He completed basic training and Airborne School. On 1965-07-01, he enrolled into the United States Military Academy Preparatory School. At West Point, he was affectionately dubbed “The Old Man,” because he was older than the other men of his class. He was a member of West Point’s Cadet Company B2. His fellow cadets thought highly of Sowa. After his graduation from West Point in 1969, he was sent to Fort Benning, GA for Ranger School and infantry basic training. After completing his training, he was sent to Ft. Richardson, AK. He was the assigned commander of Company E, 1st Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infanry Brigade. His command was one of the first snow mobile units in the Army. 

Joseph Paul “Joe” Sowa was born to Joseph Edward and Stephanie Sowa on 1944-01-24 in Suffern, NY. He had one younger brother; Lawrence. The Sowa’s lived on Island Road in Mahwah, NJ before moving to Aberdeen, MD. He graduated from Abderdeen High School in 1961. After high school, he attended Harford Community College for two years before enlisting into the Army. While at West Point, he was active in multiple clubs. He was a member of the Outdoor Sportsman’s Club for his first and third years; the Corps Squad Soceer team all four years; Corps Squad Golf team his last two years; Fine Arts Forum his first and third years; the Pistol Club his last two years; and the Army Pistol Team all four years. He was named to the 1969 All American Pistol First Team. In October of 1970, Sowa and fellow Army officers James Barrett and Richard Funk went duck hunting along the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet, a waterway in AK. Their boat was found suberged in the water. Sowa’s body has never been recovered and his date of death was declared 1970-10-11. Joseph was survived by his wife Lydia (née Marston), his parents and brother. He was 26.

1969 All-American's, NRA Competitive Shooting.

1LT Joseph Paul Sowa, Find a Grave.

Joseph P. Sowa 1969, West Point Association of Graduates.

Joseph Sowa, 1950 United States Federal Census.

"Lt. Joseph Sowa," The Evening Sun, November 5, 1970, p. 14.

"Mahwah News," Ramapo Valley Independent, February 3, 1944, p. 3.

"Search for three missing Army officers called off," Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, October 20, 1970, p. 3.