BOWLIN, William "Milton" Lt Cmdr-WWI - Putnam

Richmond, Ind Sept 10 – “Oh thank God; my prayers are answered,” cried Mrs. EE Orr tonight when informed the crew of the seaplane PN-9 No 1 had been found alive.  Milton Bowlin, machinists mate of the plane is a nephew of Mrs. Orr.  “I’ve never really given up hope they would be found,” Mrs. Orr told the Associated Press correspondent.  Bowlin was born at Roachdale, Ind March 19, 1898 and was left an orphan at an early age.  He lived with his grandmother, Mrs. Sarah Brandshaw for a few years and at age 12 was taken by Mrs. Orr.  

Source: Richmond Indiana Palladium-Item Fri 7 Sept 1973 p 7

Word has been received here of the death of Lt. Cmdr William Milton Bowlin, 74, former Richmond resident on August 7 in Lemon Grove, suburb of San Diego, Calif.  Bowlin grew up in Richmond and attended Richmond schools.  A native of Roachdale, Ind, he was orphaned when young and grew up in the home of his uncle and aunt, the late Mr. and Mrs. EE Orr.  He was a Navy career man, joining in 1917 and reenlisting in 1919.  He attended the US Naval Training School and qualified for a Navy pilot in 1923.  He was the only Indiana man with Admiral Richard Byrd on his scientific exploration to the South Pole and Little America.  For his services with Byrd, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.  Bowlin was pilot or assistant pilot on all but one of the important flights he made during the expedition.  In 1925, Bowlin was one of a crew to make the first military flight across the Pacific to Hawaii. Their plane was down when almost in reach of their goal and was the object of a several day hunt by air and sea before found.  Bowlin is survived by his widow, Mrs. May Bowlin, one son, John of Fair Oaks, Calif and two grandchildren.  Services were held Aug 10 in Lemon Grove with burial in El Camino Memorial Park at San Diego. Cousins of Cmdr Bowlin include Mrs. Virginia Orr Litton, Economy; Mrs. Dorothy Orr, Marion and William Orr, Indianapolis. He had been employed in the early 1920s by the Richmond Electric Company and later the Chenoweth Electric. - kbz