MC Gowan

MC grew up in New Jersey, near New York City. His father and most uncles served in WWII and Korea. MC is an Eagle Scout. He graduated in 1977 from the Virginia Military Institute with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and commissioned in the US Navy.

MC did almost 6 years active duty including 3 deployments to the Middle East as a qualified Surface Warfare Officer. He joined the Naval Reserve after the Marine barracks was bombed in Lebanon and spent most of his time in Naval Coastal Warfare.

Afterwards he worked as a system test engineer for Boeing, then Lockheed Martin. He was recalled for Operation Desert Storm to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait following the bombing of the USS Cole and then again to the Mediterranean after 9/11. MC received a Legion of Merit during Operation Enduring Freedom while in the Mediterranean.

Later in the Lockheed Martin career MC became a project manager, program manager, and senior program manager. He now works at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD as a project lead on the Army’s legacy GPS.

MC’s book, Not On My Watch, “perfectly captures the steely resolve of these brave Reservists to defend the sailors and ships in their battlespace during the turbulent days after the USS Cole attack,” said Chris Schafer, CEO at Tactical 16 Publishing. Not On My Watch “is a must read to understand how terrorism started and the evil forces that continue to wreak havoc worldwide.”

“My goal is to humanize the enlisted Sailors and Coast Guardsmen who mobilized and deployed for a singular-focused mission with huge consequences,” said Gowan. “They fought and won the battle against an evil, ever-present but invisible enemy planning to attack U.S. shipping with the big prize being an aircraft carrier. This is their story.”

MC plans to donate 67% of his book profits to the U.S. Navy Relief and other charities. The number “67” comes from the hull number of the USS Cole.

MC retired in 2003 as a Captain. He is married and has 2 children. He likes to hunt, fish, and drink black coffee. MC is a Christian and don’t curse, doesn’t use tobacco, and doesn’t drink, except for vintage port wine on special occasions that started at his US Navy retirement.