[1] Educated locally in Oregon, Owen Summers Jr. received officers training and joined the 91st Infantry Division in 1917 as a second lieutenant.

[1] After his commissioning, Summers served with several infantry divisions, received various levels of officer training, and had a tour of duty in the Philippines.

Summers served in combat with the division in Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns.

[5] During this combat period General Summers received multiple Legion of Merit awards, a Silver Star, and, after being wounded, a Purple Heart.

[6] In April, 1945, the general was assigned to command Task Force "A", which was to go to the Oslo Zone in Norway to disarm Germans and repatriate them to Germany.

General Summers was on the board of directors of the National Historic Sites Commission, a member of the Companions of the Military Order of World Wars of Portland, a member and president of the Vancouver Rotary Club, and served on the board of directors of Junior Achievement.

In memory of General Summers, a flag was created and installed in the church that is an exact replica of the standard of the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen which arrived at Fort Vancouver on October 19, 1848.