Elmer Lee Bowlin was born 26 Aug 1922 in Crawford County, Ar. to Elmer Adolphus & Bessie M. Davis Bowlin . His mother died in 1928. Elmer joined the Navy October 31, 1942 and was assigned to the Seabees, Navy Seabees are the construction force of the Navy, and they work as builders, finishers, masons, electricians, mechanics, and heavy equipment operators in support of the Navy mission. S2c Elmer Bowlin's story is told by his brother on November 8, 1996 and can be found on his page at Find A Grave. Elmer Lee was one of 3 brothers born to Elmer Aldolphus Bowlin and Bessie Davis. He was the middle brother. "Elmer Lee was my favorite brother. He always showed lots of attention to his little brother. He was a happy go lucky kind of a young man. We lived on the road to Kibler, outside of Van Buren, AR. That house burned in early 1934. We moved to a house on Cherry St in Fort Smith, AR. Then to a house on Sycamore St. Then in 1939 to 2535 Albert Pike St." (Boot Camp was at Training at U.S. Naval Construction Training Center, Williamsburg, Va.) "After finishing school, Elmer Lee worked at various jobs. When he joined the US Navy Seabees in 1942, he was working for Harding Glass Company in Ft Smith. After finishing navy boot training, he came home before being shipped out. I was really glad to see him. He served in the South Pacific doing construction... building camps and airfields. I remember how I cried when the telegram arrived in November 1943. He was killed while working on an airfield in Vella La Vella, Solomon Islands. A bomb being loaded onto an aircraft, exploded. Elmer Lee was near enough to be fatally wounded." S1c Elmer Lee Bowlin was buried at Plot A Row 8 Grave 136 Manila American Cemetery Manila, Philippines. His father erected a memorial headstone in the family plot at Gracelawn Cemetery, Van Buren, Crawford Co, AR. where his mother was buried. Killed in Action American Battle Monuments Commission Full Name: Elmer Lee Bowlin State of Residence: Arkansas Death Date: 4 Nov 1943 Memorial Location: Plot A Row 8 Grave 136 Memorial Cemetery: Manila American Cemetery Memorial Country: Manila, Philippines Rank: Seaman, First Class, U.S. Navy Service Number: 6307850 Regiment: United States Naval Reserve