Charles Taylor McDowell (November 23, 1921 – July 8, 2007) was professor emeritus and former director of the Center for Post-Soviet and Eastern European Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, and a member of the Military Science Hall of Honor.
As part of the 82nd Airborne Division, McDowell participated in Operation Market Garden, jumping behind enemy lines and engaging objectives in Nijmegen and Arnhem.
From 1955 to 1958 he was a professor of Russian language, history, economics, geography, and political science in a classified joint military/civilian intelligence agency and chief of the research division from 1956 to 1958.
In 1959, McDowell was an instructor for the Command and General Staff College in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Hawaii, where he taught U.S. military forces about nuclear weapons.
McDowell has served as a Diplomatic courier and USSR Specialist, as well as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department in the former Soviet Union, Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
[5] McDowell was senior area administrator for Lyndon Johnson's Job Corps program, which entailed supervision of all centers in the United States between the Mississippi River and Rocky Mountains.
McDowell made many contributions to print and televised media concerning the Soviet Union, People's Republic of China, and subjects related to Eastern Europe.
During the ceremony, San Saba Mayor Ken Jordan presented a proclamation of the City Council designating May 17 "Charles Taylor McDowell day.
[13] With support from the McDowell Center, the Department of Modern Languages at UT Arlington has expanded its offerings to include courses in Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese and Korean.