Donald Wilson McGowan (August 30, 1899 – September 24, 1967) was a United States Army Major General who served as commander of the 50th Armored Division and Chief of the National Guard Bureau.

He graduated from high school in Orange in 1916, and enlisted in the New Jersey National Guard's Company I, 5th Infantry Regiment.

[5] Later in 1944 he was assigned as Provost Marshal for the Normandy Base Section, and his responsibilities expanded to include Brittany, the Lower Seine, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The National Guard also converted its anti-aircraft weapons to Nike-Ajax and Hercules missiles and organized its first Special Forces units.

[15] He died at his home in Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, on September 24, 1967, from the effects of self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

[16] He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 3, Site 2067-E.[17] McGowan was married to Helen Margaret S. Schoeffel.

[20] Colonel Robert Silber "Bob" McGowan (died February 4, 2001) graduated from West Point in 1952 and served as an aide to General Maxwell D. Taylor.

He and his artist wife Mary raised two daughters, one who became an architect and one who became professor of South Asian studies at the University of Vermont.