John Louis Loos (March 9, 1918 – September 25, 2011) was an American historian best known for his scholarship on the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806.
[1] During World War II, Loos was stationed in the Pacific Theater of Operations with the United States Army.
An artillery officer promoted to major, he received the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
There he specialized in the history of the American West, with emphasis on the life of William Clark, partner of Meriwether Lewis in the Corps of Discovery, which followed the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean near what is now Astoria, Oregon.
[2] Loos in 1964 published "They Opened the Door to the West", a six-page article on Lewis and Clark useful for lecturers seeking a concise summary of the expedition.
frequently roamed the halls, dropping into offices, talking with everyone, keeping them informed, and, without ever saying so, assuring them that they were important.