CHURCH HILL, Tenn. (AP) - This past June 7, WWII veteran Hiram Bowlin woke up his Church Hill neighborhood celebrating his 100th birthday as he turned a hand-cranked siren while riding in a 100-year-old fire truck.
Apparently, that ride was heard all the way in Fort Lee, Virginia, because on Tuesday Bowlin received a special visit from a more recent member of his old Army outfit.
Stallard Robinette was the 94th Division’s command sergeant major when he retired from the Army five years ago. A Lynn Garden native who now lives in Gate City, Robinette saw the Times News article about Bowlin’s birthday and fire truck ride and forwarded that to the 94th’s Command Team.
On Tuesday, Robinette visited Bowlin in his Church Hill home and presented him with a “one star command letter” from Brig Gen. Stephen Iacovelli, who is commanding general of Bowlin’s old outfit, which is now called the 94th Training Division (Force Sustainment).
“I’d like to personally congratulate you on your 100th birthday on June 7, 2020, one day after the anniversary of D-Day,” Iacovelli stated in the letter. “Becoming a centenarian is something few people achieve and sets you apart as a member of a very elite group. Your reaching this milestone is a testament to your physical fitness, tenacity, and support of your friends and family over the years.”
Bowlin was a communications sergeant with the 94th Infantry Division. He participated in 209 days of combat in France and Germany after D-Day.
He was awarded the Bronze Star, WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Rifle Marksmanship badge, among other awards. He was responsible for stringing “commo wire” to different command posts during the war.
Iacovelli further stated in his letter, “I also want to thank you for your service with the 94th during World War II. Your service as a communications Sgt. with the division also makes you part of a larger group: 94th Division veterans. I hope you are proud of your service and affiliation with the 94th and that it holds a special place in your heart. Please know that the soldiers serving our nation in the 94th strive to uphold the high standards set by all those who have served before us.”
As a personal note, Iacovelli wrote in his own hand, “Happy 100th birthday and I wish you many more! ‘On the Way’ to victory.”
Aside from presenting Bowlin the letter from Iacovelli, on Tuesday Robinette also awarded Bowlin with his Command Coin.
“Those are rare to get,” Robinette told him. “We don’t just give them to everybody. Thank you for your service to the 94th, and also being 100 years old. That’s an accomplishment right there.”
“I thought I might live to be 50, but I doubled it,” Bowlin replied. “It (WWII) wasn’t smooth, but I got through it.”
Of his WWII experiences, Bowlin had previously stated, “I was assigned to communications and I didn’t know anything about communications. I was on the ground stringing wire to CP’s (Command Posts). We lost over half of the division and I remember going into Sinz. They gave me a Jeep, I don’t know why, but I drove it everywhere. I had a trailer on it and was constantly busy.”
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