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GIRARD —
Ray Bolin, Girard, visits the Girard American Legion Post just about every day. It’s part of his routine.
Sunday’s visit, however, was a little bit different. He found that many friends at the post and numerous family members had gathered to honor him on his 90th birthday.
“This was all a surprise to me,” Bolin said. “I didn’t know this was coming.”
His son Gary, Rochester, Minn., said that his father’s actual birthday was May 28.
“We couldn’t get everybody together for the party until this weekend,” he said.
Bolin was born May 28, 1922 in Virginia, but grew up and attended school in Walnut. After graduating from high school, he entered the U.S. Navy and eventually was posted as a seaman aboard the light carrier USS Helena. On Dec. 7, 1941, the Helena was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, moored alongside the minelaying ship USS Ogala and across the bay from Ford Island, where the USS Oklahoma and USS Arizona were moored.
At around 7:57 a.m. Japanese planes were sighted, and by 8:01 a.m. the ship’s crews were returning fire. Bolin manned his battle station on the shell deck of turret No. 5 until the attack was over.
The Helena, hit by a torpedo, was sent to Mare Island Naval yard in California for repairs and Bolin was transferred to an ammunitions dump in Australia where he remained until 1944.
He stayed in the Navy for 22 years, retiring as a chief warrant officer 50 years ago at the age of 40.
“It doesn’t seem like I’ve been retired for 50 years,” Bolin said. “I can’t believe I’m 90 years old.”
He wasn’t idle after leaving the Navy. Bolin returned to Girard with his wife, Jean, sons Gary and Rick and daughter Debbie, and earned a degree in auto body repair from Pittsburg State University. He worked 20 years for Evans Chevrolet.
“My wife died two years ago and it gets lonesome around the house,” Bolin said. “I come out here every day to the American Legion, but I’m usually gone by noon.”
He said that he doesn’t talk much about his World War II experiences to his friends at the American Legion. On the other hand, he thinks that the story of Pearl Harbor needs to be remembered.
Both his sons also served in the U.S. Navy. Rick Bolin died in 2002.
Family members attending the birthday gathering, in addition to his son Gary, included Gary’s son and his wife, Nathaniel and Katharine Bolin, Minneapolis, Minn.; daughter and son-in-law Debbie and Steve Frakes, Girard; Ricky Bolin and Adam Bolin, Girard; Jack Gladson, Chanute, a cousin; Jack Heitman, Bolin’s brother-in-law; Fred and Kathleen Heitman, Caney; Chad Frakes, San Diego, Calif.; Braden Frakes, Kansas City; Warren and Wendy Strukel, Girard; and Jerry Heitman, Pawhuska, Okla.
“I’m not sure I can name all of Dad’s Girard friends here,” his son said.
Ray Bolin, Girard, visits the Girard American Legion Post just about every day. It’s part of his routine.
Sunday’s visit, however, was a little bit different. He found that many friends at the post and numerous family members had gathered to honor him on his 90th birthday.
“This was all a surprise to me,” Bolin said. “I didn’t know this was coming.”
His son Gary, Rochester, Minn., said that his father’s actual birthday was May 28.
“We couldn’t get everybody together for the party until this weekend,” he said.
Bolin was born May 28, 1922 in Virginia, but grew up and attended school in Walnut. After graduating from high school, he entered the U.S. Navy and eventually was posted as a seaman aboard the light carrier USS Helena. On Dec. 7, 1941, the Helena was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, moored alongside the minelaying ship USS Ogala and across the bay from Ford Island, where the USS Oklahoma and USS Arizona were moored.
At around 7:57 a.m. Japanese planes were sighted, and by 8:01 a.m. the ship’s crews were returning fire. Bolin manned his battle station on the shell deck of turret No. 5 until the attack was over.
The Helena, hit by a torpedo, was sent to Mare Island Naval yard in California for repairs and Bolin was transferred to an ammunitions dump in Australia where he remained until 1944.
He stayed in the Navy for 22 years, retiring as a chief warrant officer 50 years ago at the age of 40.
“It doesn’t seem like I’ve been retired for 50 years,” Bolin said. “I can’t believe I’m 90 years old.”
He wasn’t idle after leaving the Navy. Bolin returned to Girard with his wife, Jean, sons Gary and Rick and daughter Debbie, and earned a degree in auto body repair from Pittsburg State University. He worked 20 years for Evans Chevrolet.
“My wife died two years ago and it gets lonesome around the house,” Bolin said. “I come out here every day to the American Legion, but I’m usually gone by noon.”
He said that he doesn’t talk much about his World War II experiences to his friends at the American Legion. On the other hand, he thinks that the story of Pearl Harbor needs to be remembered.
Both his sons also served in the U.S. Navy. Rick Bolin died in 2002.
Family members attending the birthday gathering, in addition to his son Gary, included Gary’s son and his wife, Nathaniel and Katharine Bolin, Minneapolis, Minn.; daughter and son-in-law Debbie and Steve Frakes, Girard; Ricky Bolin and Adam Bolin, Girard; Jack Gladson, Chanute, a cousin; Jack Heitman, Bolin’s brother-in-law; Fred and Kathleen Heitman, Caney; Chad Frakes, San Diego, Calif.; Braden Frakes, Kansas City; Warren and Wendy Strukel, Girard; and Jerry Heitman, Pawhuska, Okla.
“I’m not sure I can name all of Dad’s Girard friends here,” his son said.
