Fire Capt. Fred McDowell is polishing his bugle and revving up his 1945 Willys Army Jeep as he prepares to play Taps at the San Marcos Veteran’s Day ceremony Saturday, Nov. 11.
It’s a tribute he’s paid to veterans, like his father, for decades. But his tribute goes beyond that.
McDowell re-enacts World War II history to show what it was like for soldiers in the D-Day invasion of June 1944.
His garage is piled high with WWII memorabilia, which he brings out for re-enactments with other history buffs at air shows, schools and memorials for service members. He calls it “Living History.”
“We just want to tell the stories of the people who were there, but are no longer here to tell us themselves,” McDowell said.
WWII re-enacters and members of the Historical Unit of Southern California at Carlsbad Community Church, where they participated in a WWII Tribute Concert with Fred McDowell playing the trumpet.
(Fred McDowell )
McDowell is equipped to set up a replica of a WWII field hospital. He has everything from a 16-foot-by-16-foot circa 1940s canvas tent and portable hospital beds to surgeon’s gear, first aid supplies, muslin bandages and reusable rubber gloves, all dating back to the 1940s.
He and his fellow re-enactors represent the men and women of the U.S. Army Medical Department who served during WWII.
McDowell’s 1945 Willys Army Jeep and WWII-era field hospital.
(Fred McDowell)
Near the entrance to the hospital tent is a 1:285 scale diorama meticulously crafted by McDowell over nearly two years to teach about World War II evacuation hospitals. McDowell put together a video detailing the diorama’s creation and the elements of the hospital, including the medical team and vehicles along with WWII history pertaining to the hospital. The YouTube video is titled, “The Story of the 128th Evac Hospital.”
A lot of research goes into accurately re-creating the hospital. McDowell has written down hundreds of pages of information from reading numerous WWII historical accounts. Details matter.
He has several small bottles of morphine that were found in the sand at the beaches of Normandy. He bought the bottles for 2 Euros at a museum there. He considers them treasures.
McDowell has been collecting the historic military medical equipment for more than 15 years, scouring flea markets, antique shows and museums. Some vintage uniforms and other items come from friends and family or folks who know about his efforts to revive history.
His interest in WWII was sparked at age 7 by the discovery of his father’s WWII uniform and his war photographs and memorabilia in the attic and the stories his father told him about his war experiences.
He started reading up on military history in second grade and never stopped. He would spent hours at his school library in Santa Ana, where his mother was a librarian.
Fred and Nikki McDowell with their 1945 Jeep.
(Fred McDowell)
McDowell’s father, Frank, served in the Army toward the end of the war and later in Germany and Japan. He served in the Military Police, and one of his assignments was to guard the train taking captured Nazis to Nuremberg for the trials.
“The re-enactments are a tribute to my Dad and all those who fought and are no longer here,” McDowell said.
WWII-style artwork McDowell created for his Jeep based on a similar design on a WWII bomber.
(Fred McDowell)
Now his family often joins him at re-enactements across the country. His wife, Nikki, a nurse a Palomar Medical Center, portrays a WWII Army nurse, and discusses some of the WWII medical tools and brings to life what nurses did during the WWII. Their daughter, Molly, is in uniform as a member of the Women’s Army Corps, aka WAC.
“We should applaud the efforts of those who preserve our history, allowing it to be passed down from one generation to the next. Re-enactors do that in a visually appealing way. The McDowell family focuses on WW II, which has special meaning for them. Something as simple as explaining to people the military uniform they each wear is just one of the “lessons” they teach,” said Linda Dudick, retired Palomar College history professor and founder of wwiiexperience.com.
McDowell, who lives in San Marcos and works at a Costa Mesa fire station, is a member of a number of history groups, including the Historical Unit of Southern California. His historical hospital is known as the 128th Evacuation Hospital-West Coast group, which has its own Facebook page with photos and videos. The 128th Evacuation Hospital operated from June 10 to July 30, 1944, in Boutteville, Normandy.
The mission of the Historical Unit is to pay tribute to those who defended their countries in times of war. The group fosters public awareness of the “tribulations” of those who served in the Armed Forces, and offers “a gathering place for people who appreciate and respect the sacrifices given by veterans.”
“We collect people’s stories and bring them to life, so the next generation will know what it meant to be a soldier,” McDowell said. “The stories are like pieces in a puzzle, and we try to put it together and give the big picture.”
He plans to bring some of his memorabilia to the San Marcos Veterans Day ceremony, including his 1945 Jeep. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at Helen Bougher Memorial Park, 1243 Borden Road. It will be will be followed by a reception at noon.
To donate WWII uniforms or memorabilia, go to www.thehusc.com.
Here is a video about the 128th Evacuation Hospital: https://youtu.be/r4dOFvNvKaI?si=2lEfP0OMZs25Yy8l
