Commander Harry E. Bolster, USN (ret) passed away September 1, 2013 at Carolinas Medical Center-Pineville, NC and was a resident of Lake Wylie, SC.\u00a0He is the son of the late Harry E and Etta Bolster of Gardiner, ME, and is a graduate Gardiner High school and Maine Maritime Academy (\u201953).\u00a0He served two years as a Merchant Marine officer and in 1955 joined the United States Navy. He participated in the United States Naval blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962.<\/p>\n
He was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for acting as commanding officer of Harbor Clearance Unit 1, one of the largest units in the area of the seventh fleet during the period February 1966 to June, 1967.\u00a0 CDR Bolster personally planned and directed the deployment and operations for harbor clearance teams in the Republic of Vietnam under difficult and hazardous conditions. His aggressive leadership in directing these salvage operations resulted in keeping the Saigon River open for transport of supplies to allied forces and in salvaging valuable ships. Upon returning from Vietnam he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service as Commanding Officer.<\/p>\n
He saw service aboard the Attack Cargo ship the USS Algol (AKA \u2013 54), Aircraft Carrier Lexington (CVS \u2013 16), High Speed Transport, Walter B. Cobb \u2013 (APD- 106), and Executive Officer and Plank Owner of the EL Paso (LKA-117).
\nSurvivors include his wife of 30 years, Barbara Gorrow Bolster, sons, John \u2013 Corpus Christi, TX, Stephen, and Thomas, Gardiner, ME and David, Chesapeake, VA and stepson, James Rubar, Lake Wylie, SC and stepdaughter Karen Rubar Grohregin, Lake Wylie SC, 12 grandchildren and 1 great grandson.<\/p>\n