When Kevin McGowan and his wife Alessandra relocated to Georgia from Boston in the summer of 2021, they found a welcoming community at Marietta Country Club. The move marked the beginning of a fulfilling second career for Kevin with Lockheed Martin following thirty years of active duty as a Naval Officer and aviator. Alessandra, an experienced Italian language teacher, also started a new chapter, launching a career as an artisanal Italian pastry chef after completing formal training at the Academy in Rome.
The couple quickly immersed themselves in Georgia life alongside Alessandra’s son Dario, a Kennesaw Mountain High School graduate who now works in technology sales on the West Coast. Kevin, raised in Erie, Pennsylvania, also has four adult children and eight grandchildren living in New England. While his family spans across the country, Kevin has found a true anchor in the local community as an avid golf member at the club.
A Calling to the Skies
The military remained an unfamiliar world to Kevin until a pivotal trip with his mother to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Standing on the historic grounds and watching the four thousand strong brigade assemble for noon meal formation left an indelible impression. He knew immediately that he wanted to be part of that tradition.
“I learned very early on about the value of really hard work and that you could learn or achieve just about anything with enough effort.”
Securing an appointment required determination and patience, taking Kevin two years to achieve a Congressional nomination. He reported to Annapolis during the tail end of the Cold War, right around the time the original movie Top Gun hit theaters in 1986. While the film did not inspire him to join the Navy, it certainly cemented his ambition once he was on that path. Being a naval aviator looked like one of the coolest jobs in the world, and he set his sights on the cockpit.
Commissioned as an Ensign upon graduation in 1990, Kevin embarked on a distinguished military journey, retiring as a Major Command Navy Captain in 2020. As a pilot, he flew the P-3 Orion submarine hunter, built by Lockheed Martin. The anti-submarine warfare mission required crews to fly massive airplanes incredibly low over the open ocean on ten-hour missions in remote areas, executing tight turns to track foreign submarines.
As the geopolitical landscape shifted in the early 1990s, the P-3 Orion crews transitioned into overland reconnaissance, surveillance, and direct strike support for troops on the ground, pioneering capabilities long before unmanned drones became standard. Over his career, Kevin served five sea tours and completed seven global deployments. His squadron tours culminated in his selection to command a ten-plane, four hundred person squadron. His later years included assignments as an instructor pilot, headquarters staff leadership roles, and serving as the Ship’s Navigator on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
Leadership and Unforgettable Watches
Of the many milestones throughout his thirty years on active duty, one harrowing day on the bridge of the USS Harry S. Truman stands out vividly. As the Ship’s Navigator, Kevin was tasked with guiding the massive capital ship through its first restricted-water transit through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, bound for the Middle East.
Halfway through the high-stakes evolution, both the ship’s Captain and the senior navigator fell severely ill and were confined to their cabins. Kevin, then a young Lieutenant, suddenly found himself solely responsible for directing the movements and safety of a massive aircraft carrier with five thousand personnel and seventy-five aircraft embarked. He remained on continuous watch on the bridge for more than twenty-four hours, navigating the tight waters through two consecutive sunrises. It was an intense, exhausting test of leadership that proved to be one of the most rewarding moments of his life.
“When the people on your team know you have their back as a leader they will always achieve more.”
Throughout his journey, Kevin credits mentors like Captain Johnnie “Turk” Green, his Executive Officer on the USS Harry S. Truman, for shaping his leadership philosophy. Captain Green was an extraordinary communicator whom the crew would have followed anywhere, and his tragic, early passing from esophageal cancer in 2005 left a lasting impact. From him, Kevin learned that true leadership means taking care of your team. When sailors know their leader has their back, they feel empowered to take smart risks, think creatively, and achieve superior outcomes.
Looking Back and Paying It Forward
When reflecting on his three decades of service, Kevin feels the greatest sense of pride from the enduring successes of the young officers and sailors he had the privilege to lead. He firmly believes that a leader’s true legacy is always reflected in the achievements of their people.
As America marks its 250th anniversary, Kevin views his long career as an honor and a privilege. He hopes this historic milestone inspires a renewed, universal sense of patriotism across the nation. For his friends at Marietta Country Club, Kevin is eager to extend a helping hand to the next generation. He is always available to mentor, advocate for, or advise any young resident or member considering a path toward a service academy, military enlistment, aviation, or a career within the defense industry. For Kevin, continuing to grow the profession with great people is simply the military way of paying it forward.
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Where Were You in 1976?
MCC Residents Look Back on America’s Bicentennial and the Memories That Still Last 50 Years Later
As our country prepares to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we asked MCC residents to take a step back in time and remember another historic milestone – America’s Bicentennial in 1976. From fireworks over the National Mall and military celebrations overseas to cross-country adventures and childhood memories, each story offers a unique glimpse into life during a special moment in American history.
These are the moments they remember…
“In 1976, I was a student at Georgia Tech and spent the summer between my junior and senior year working at the Westinghouse factory near BWI Airport, which was home to one of the largest concentrations of engineers on the East Coast. We were working on AWACS and F-16 radar systems at the time. Two other Georgia Tech students and I rented an apartment in Columbia, Maryland for the summer, and it just so happened we were there for the Bicentennial celebration. We joined nearly one million people at the National Mall, watched the fireworks, saw the tall ships arrive, and got to be part of an unforgettable moment in American history. We truly had the time of our lives.”
– Michael B. Andrews, MCC Resident
“On July 4, 1976, we were living in Vicenza, Italy. We celebrated America’s Bicentennial overseas by taking our 9-month-old son to the parade and fireworks on base. It was a memorable experience for us, although he was less than impressed with all the excitement!”
– Jim & Jana Hiley, MCC Residents
“1976 was the year I graduated from high school, so America’s Bicentennial is a year I remember well. It was an exciting time in our country’s history and a special milestone year in my own life. Now, 50 years later, I’m looking forward to celebrating another milestone – my 50th high school reunion later this year!”
– Chuck Barnes, MCC Resident
“In the summer of 1976, we were living right here in Marietta. Along with our 13-year-old son, David, we packed up our pop-up camper and set out on an unforgettable family adventure across North America. We traveled to Yellowstone National Park, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alberta – creating memories and experiencing the beauty of the country during America’s Bicentennial year.”
– Reuel & Virginia Hamilton, MCC Residents
“In the summer of 1976, I was a fourth-grade student growing up in Erie, Pennsylvania, during America’s Bicentennial celebration. I vividly remember the era as a beautiful time when children rode their bikes everywhere without helmets, drank metallic-tasting water from garden hoses, and stayed outside for hours until finding their way home for dinner.”
-Kevin McGowan, MCC Member
