Chester A. Kowal (August 17, 1904 – September 28, 1966) was an American politician, a basketball player, a boxer and a World War II veteran. From 1962 to 1965 he was mayor of Buffalo, New York; he was the last non-Democratic mayor of that city until Byron Brown temporarily switched parties in 2021.[2]
In late 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces as a private and was sent to Officers' Training School. He saw service in the U.S. Southwest before serving five months in the Pacific Theater during World War II. In April 1946 he was discharged as a lieutenant-colonel. He was active in veterans organizations.[2]
In 1951, Kowal was elected Buffalo city comptroller on the Republican ticket. He was defeated in his run for mayor in the 1957 election by Frank A. Sedita, but prevailed in the mayoral election held on November 7, 1961. He served a single term as mayor. On September 28, 1966, he died in his sleep.[2]
^ abcd"Chester A. Kowal". Through The Mayor's Eyes, The Only Complete History of the Mayor's of Buffalo, New York, Compiled by Michael Rizzo. The Buffalonian is produced by The Peoples History Union. 2009-05-27. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2009-06-09.