Richard Eugene Bolstad (1929 - 2014)

Colonel Dick Bolstad was a Prisoner of War for 2655 days during the Vietnam War.

Col Dick Bolstad served in the United States Marine Corps in the Korean War
Service started: 1950
Unit(s): 7th Marine Regiment; Inchon Landing
Service ended: 1952

Biography

Colonel Dick Bolstad served in the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War
Service started: Jul 1953
Unit(s): 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron; 602nd Fighter Squadron
Service ended: 1979

Birth and Early Life

Col Richard E. Bolstad, known as Dick, was born on 7 July 1929 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA to Conrad Arthur Bolstad (1889-1952) and Gertrude Catherine Buhl (1895-1983) as the third of six children.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Siblings

1. Patricia Ann Bolstad born 7 March 1923 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States. She married Allen Duane Fossum (1922-1994) on 19 May 1945 at the United States Marine Corps Base, Cherry Point, North Carolina. Patricia died on 18 April 1987 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States.^{[5] [6]}
2. Donald James Bolstad born 23 June 1927 in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. ^[7]
3. Marjorie Jean Bolstad born 21 February 1932 in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. She married Rollin D. Lehman (born 26 May 1931 in Ohio, USA) on 2 March 1957 in Los Angeles County, California.^{[8] [9]}
4. Marilyn Gertrude Bolstad born 1 September 1935 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States. She married Francis E. Thompson on 30 December 1954 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. They divorced on 11 December 1975 in Hennepin County, Minnesota. She died on 3 January 2001 in Minnetonka, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States.^{[10] [11] [12]}
5. David Conrad Bolstad born 9 January 1938 in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. He married Patricia McCarthy on 19 June 1965 in Hennepin County, Minnesota. ^{[13] [14]}

Military Service

Dick enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on 14 December 1948. His active duty began on 19 August 1950. Corporal Bolstad served in combat in Korea with Fox Co., 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division from September 1950 until April 1951 when he returned to the USA. He earned a purple heart in Korea and was part of the famous Inchon, Korea landing on 15 September 1950 when the United States troops recaptured the area.^[15]

He served at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Prince William, Virginia until he left active duty with the United States Marine Corps on 31 March 1952. His honorable discharge from the Marine Corps was on 1 April 1953. He enlisted in the United States Air Force on 14 July 1953.^[16]

In the Air Force, he first served in aircraft maintenance. He entered the Aviation Cadet Program on 20 June 1955 and received his pilot wings and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 28 September 1956. He was trained to fly the F-86A Sabre at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona and then the F-100A Super Sabre at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada.

From June 1957 to June 1961 he served as a F-100C pilot with the 32nd Fighter-Day Squadron at Soesterberg Air Base in the Netherlands, near Utrecht. From there he went to the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, Myrtle Beach, Horry, South Carolina until September 1964.

Captain Bolstad trained in the A-1 Skyraider and then went to the 602nd Fighter Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam from 31 March 1965 after having volunteered for duty in Vietnam in August 1964. Some of what he did while there was the training of South Vietnamese pilots to fly the A-1E. He was flying an A-1E at the time. He flew close air support missions in support of ground forces. When he returned from leave in October 1965, he was flying rescue support missions in North Vietnam. On one of these rescue missions he was shot down in an A-1E.^[17]

Prisoner of War from 6 November 1965 to 12 February 1973. ^[18]

He was held in the notorious Hanoi Hilton during his time in North Vietnam. He was released during Operation Homecoming.

He was flown out on C-141 Tail number 50243 from Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi, North Vietnam at 1405 hours and arrived at Clark Air Base, Philippines at 1655 hours.

After his release from captivity, he got a clean bill of health and then was assigned to attend Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama in August 1973 until July 1974.

His final assignment was as a Weapons Officer, F-4 Phantom II Squadron Commander and then Deputy Base Commander at Luke Air Force Base near Glendale, Maricopa, Arizona from July 1974 until 1 April 1979.^[19]

Honors

His Silver Star Citation

For the period July 1969: This officer distinguished himself by gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force during the above period while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions, and propaganda materials. This individual resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

1. Silver Star Medal.
2. Legion of Merit.
3. Distinguished Flying Cross with V Device and 1 Bronze Leaf Cluster.
4. Bronze Star Medal with V Device and 1 Bronze Leaf Cluster.
5. Purple Heart with 2 Bronze Leaf Clusters.
6. Air Medal with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Leaf Cluster.
7. Navy Combat Action Ribbon

The full ribbon set available here.

Marriage and Family

Dick married Helen Lackey, known as Sissy on 17 March 1973 in a Catholic Church at Ocean Drive Beach in South Carolina. She was his fiancee for less than a month before he was shot down in November 1965 and she waited for him to return. He had proposed marriage to her when he was home on leave in October 1965. They had met when he was serving in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. ^{[20] [21]}

Child of the Bolstad-Lackey Marriage

1. Elizabeth Bolstad was born after 1974.

Later Life

Colonel Richard Bolstad retired from the United States Air Force on 1 April 1979.^{[22] [23]}

Death and Burial

Colonel Bolstad died at Grand Strand Healthcare, Myrtle Beach, Horry, South Carolina, United States on 21 February 2014. He was 84 years old. On 28 February 2014 Mass was held at Saint Andrew Catholic Church. The burial with full military honors was held later. There is a fully inscribed headstone available with service branches and dates. He was buried on 13 August 2014 at the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington, Virginia. Find A Grave: Memorial #125574093

Sources

• 1930 United States Federal Census. In Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. Residence is 2205 14th Avenue. ^[24]
• Daily Journal Fergus Falls, Minnesota article 5 March 1973 page 18 on his homecoming.
• U.S. Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002.
• United States Marine Corps Muster Rolls, several.
• U.S. Cemetery and Funeral Collection.
• Find A Grave Index.
• Veteran Tributes. Find entire record here
• Vietnam War Casualties Returned Alive.
• NAM POW organization. List of Vietnam POWs found here
• POW Network. For his homecoming statement see here
• Minnesota Birth Index for David Conrad Bolstad.
• Minnesota Marriage Collection for David Conrad Bolstad.
• Minnesota Birth Index for Patricia Ann Bolstad.
• North Carolina Marriage Records for Patricia Ann Bolstad.
• Minnesota Death Index for Patricia A. Fossum (Bolstad).
• U.S. Social Security Death Index for Patricia Fossum.
• U.S. Public Records for Donald James Bolstad.
• Minnesota Birth Index for Marjorie Jean Bolstad.
• California Marriage Index for Marjorie J. Bolsad.
• Minnesota Birth Index for Marilyn Gertrude Bolstad.
• Minnesota Death Index for Marilyn Gertrude Thompson.
• U.S. Social Security Death Index for Marilyn G. Thompson.
• Ruston Daily Leader, Ruston, Louisiana on 23 December 1970, page 8 entitled: List of U.S. Prisoners in North Vietnam. They are broken down by state of record (not birth). Dick is in the Minnesota section in Minneapolis.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Vet Trib
2. ↑ Vietnam War Casualites
3. ↑ 1930 Fed Cen
4. ↑ Obit-FAG
5. ↑ MN Birth Rec
6. ↑ MN Death Rec
7. ↑ US Public Rec
8. ↑ MN Birth Rec
9. ↑ CA Marr. Rec
10. ↑ MN Birth Rec
11. ↑ MN Death Rec
12. ↑ US Soc Sec Death Rec
13. ↑ MN Birth Rec
14. ↑ MN Marriage Rec
15. ↑ Vet Trib
16. ↑ USMC Rosters
17. ↑ Vet Trib
18. ↑ Nam POW List
19. ↑ Vet Trib
20. ↑ Obit
21. ↑ FAG
22. ↑ Obit
23. ↑ Vet Trib
24. ↑ 1930: Bolstad, Conrad A. 40, carpenter, head, parents were born in Norway; Gertrude C. 34, wife, parents born in Poland; Patricia A. 7, daughter; Donald J. 2, son; Richard C. 3 months, son.

Acknowledgements