Sgt. 1st Class David McDowell, 30, is remembered by his family and friends as a man who followed his father into the Army and made himself an elite, decorated soldier.

David McDowell

“Down to the last bone in his body, the guy believed in what he did,” said Jesse Carlson, 29, of Carlsbad, who went to high school with McDowell and played football with him.

“It's very unique to find someone with that kind of conviction,” Carlson said. “You can't help but respect the guy and feel about as proud as you possibly can that he's your friend.”

McDowell is the sixth person with personal ties to San Diego County who has been killed in Afghanistan since the war there began in 2001. He died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked using small-arms fire, the Pentagon announced yesterday. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment based at Fort Lewis, Wash.

McDowell had been deployed seven times in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the Army Special Operations Command. His honors included two Bronze Stars with valor devices and a Purple Heart.

McDowell is survived by his wife, Joleen; son, Joshua, 11; daughter, Erin, 3; mother, Laurie Wathen of Julian; father, Steven McDowell of North Carolina; and sisters, Becky McDowell of Poway and Michele Delay of North Carolina. A funeral has not been planned.

The family suggested that donations be sent in McDowell's name to the 2nd Ranger Battalion Assistance Foundation. Details can be found at assistrangers.org.

McDowell moved to Poway as a teenager and joined the high school football team. Carlson remembered being impressed by McDowell's physique from the start. “He got his 'man body' before anyone,” Carlson said.

Carlson described his friend as a solid player and a smart student who had goals beyond high school athletics or academics.

“He was more into becoming an Army Ranger,” said Carlson, who noted that McDowell was doing military-style endurance training well before he officially joined the service.

“He worked harder than anybody I've ever known at making his goals happen,” Carlson said.

Becky McDowell said her brother's passion for military service started early.

“It was always Army from the time he could walk and talk,” she said. “If you weren't talking about the Army, forget it. He didn't want to talk to you.”

David McDowell would want to be remembered wearing his Ranger beret, Becky McDowell said. Among other things, he served as a machine gun team leader, a weapons squad leader and a platoon sergeant.

“I'd always tell him how proud I was of him – that is what big sisters are for,” Becky McDowell said. “He was a true American hero. He took care of his family and he took care of his country.”

Mike Lee: (619) 542-4570; mike.lee@uniontrib.com