Retired Col. Edward J. Bollen
Franklin Park

Retired Col. Edward John "Smokey" Bollen, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, 89, of Franklin Park Borough, died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, at Blue Ridge Hospice, in Winchester, Va. Ed was born Aug. 7, 1922, the son of the late Amos and Elsie Bollen. He grew up in West View. On Aug. 22, 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and became a fighter pilot, serving in China in the famed 75th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Fighter Group, known as the Flying Tigers. In 1945 he married his wife of 66 years, Edith. After retirement in 1978, the couple traveled domestically and internationally, with several trips to visit relatives in Germany. They were active members of Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Sewickley. After World War II, Ed helped organize Pittsburgh's 112th Fighter Group of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, rising to its commander from December 1961 through August 1976. While commander, his unit was highly decorated, beating all Air Force units at the William Tell national gunnery competition in 1963, and setting a USAF record with more than 10 years operation of a fighter unit without an accident. His final position before retiring in February 1979 was as state operations officer for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Only a handful of pilots had longer tenures flying fighters than his 34+ years - from his first flight Jan. 7, 1944, through his final mission May 2, 1978. During that time, he flew eight different fighter aircraft including his beloved P-40 Warhawk with its 'Shark Teeth' nose art, followed by the A-36, P-47, P-51, F-84, F-86, F-102 and A-7. He also had the rare pleasure to fly fighters with his son, Retired Lt. Col. Grant Bollen, Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Cherishing his memory in addition to his wife, Edith, is his brother, Homer, of Zelienople; sister, Jane, of Pittsburgh; a son, Grant Bollen and wife, Becky, of Harrisburg; a daughter, Janet Olson and husband, Bill, of Winchester, Va.; as well as five grandchildren, John Bollen, Jeffrey Bollen, Edward Bollen, Robert Olson and Joanne Thomas; and two great-grandchildren, Ella Bollen and Owen Bollen. He was preceded in death by his brother, Chester, who was killed in action in World War II, and his brother, Robert. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at SIMONS FUNERAL HOME INC., 7720 Perry Highway, where services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday with interment at Mt. Royal Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2535 Fairmount Church Road, Sewickley, PA 15143, or the St. Barnabas Nursing Home, 5827 Meridian Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044.
(Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh )


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