Bolen, Albert James, F1c

This Military Service Page was originated by Felix Cervantes, III (Admiral Ese), BM2

Fireman 1st Class (E-4)  Albert Bolen was Killed in Action on December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor.  He was stationed on board the USS Shaw DD-373.

Among the drydocked ships in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard when the Japanese attacked was the destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373). Raised out of the water in the floating drydock YFD-2, along with the old harbor tug Sotoyomo (YT-9), Shaw attracted the unwelcome attention of several dive bombers of the second strike wave. These hit her with three bombs at about the same time as they were attacking the then-nearby battleship Nevada. These bombs all hit the forward portion of the ship. The resulting fires proved uncontrollable, and Shaw was ordered abandoned. As efforts were underway to flood the drydock about a half-hour after she was hit, her forward ammunition magazines detonated in a spectacular blast, completely removing her bow. The blast also punctured YFD-2 and Sotoyomo. Both soon sank, the drydock partially and the tug completely, leaving Shaw's after portion afloat, with an intense fire raging at its front.

WW2 Fallen- F1 Albert James Bolen

Albert was born on July 24th, 1917, in Illinois. His father was Georgie Bolen but he died in 1918  and his mother married James W Cates. 

His mother, Martha, and his Stepfather, James, were born in Illinois and Kentucky respectively.

James was a Conveyor Man at a coal mine in 1930, and a Miner in 1940. James served in the Army during WW1. 

Albert enlisted into the Navy on October 9th, 1939 from Saint Louise.

He was coming from the United States Naval Training Station and was on USS Shaw in San Diego from December of 1939- March 1940. From May 31st- about September 30th, 1941, Albert was a patient. Albert’s rating was changed from Fireman Second Class, on February 28th, to Fireman First Class on October 6th of 1941.

During his career as a Seaman on USS Shaw, his ship traveled from Pearl Harbor to San Diego and back on several occasions. Albert served on the USS Shaw until his death on December 7th, 1941. 

On the morning of December 7, 1941, the destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373) was on a floating dry dock, YFD-2, undergoing repairs, along with USS Sotoyomo (YT-9), a harbor tug. Because of being in dry dock, most of the crew was ashore when the attack began. During the second wave of the attack, bombs hit the Shaw. A massive fire broke out because of her oil tanks rupturing. Thirty minutes later, her forward magazine exploded, which ripped her bow off. The explosion caused the YFD-2 to sink, though not completely, and USS Sotoyomo also sank but both ships were later recovered and repaired. When the attacks were all over, 25 men from the USS Shaw were killed, of which Albert was one of. USS Shaw underwent repairs, which included getting a new bow, and served throughout the rest of the war. 

Albert is buried at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Saint Louis, Missouri. He received a Purple Heart Medal Posthumustly.

Sources: 

Albert James Bolen’s Ancestry Page 

Albert’s Honor States Page 

Albert’s Find A Grave Page 

Albert’s Dec 31st, 1939, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Feb 29th, 1940, Muster Roll 

Albert’s March 31st, 1940, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Jun 30th, 1940, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Sep 30th, 1940 Muster Roll 

Albert’s Oct 31st, 1940, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Dec 31st, 1940, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Feb 28th, 1941, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Mar 31st, 1941, Muster Roll 

Albert’s May 31st, 1941, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Jun 30th, 1941, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Sep 30th, 1941, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Oct 6th, 1941, Muster Roll 

Albert’s Dec 11th, 1941, Muster Roll 

Ships of Pearl Harbor: USS Shaw 

USS Shaw DD-373 and drydock YFD-2 during the Japanese attack 

Maron Weekly Leader, Aug 5th 

National Cemetry Control Forms, Albert Bolen 

James Wiley Cates Ancestry Page 

James’ Military Headstone Application 

James’ 1930 Census 

James’ 1940 Census 

Martha Bolen Cates Ancestry Page

Thank you Petty Officer First Class Albert James Bolon for your service and your sacrifice. You will never be forgotten.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

STARSProject/Illonis/Franklin