~ WILLIAM E. ROWLAND ~
on Kaneoke Naval Air Station

William Eugene Rowland was born 1 February 1920 at Blaine, Oregon and attended Nestucca High School in Cloverdale, Oregon. After two years in the Civilian Conservation Corps he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Portland, Oregon on 13 May 1940. Bill attended Boot Camp and Aviation Ordinance School in San Diego, Calif. He was assigned to VP-24 at Ford Island and served there until Kaneoke Naval Air Station [NAS] was completed.

When VP-24 was transferred it became VP-12. He was there on 7 December 1941 when they were attacked a few minutes prior to Pearl Harbor so their PBY's could be destroyed and were in the water and on base. He helped give aid to ones hurt in their hanger and evacuated the seriously wounded. He was wounded but not seriously enough to prevent doing what was necessary to help others. Many years later he was awarded a Purple Heart. He flew with the Patrol Wing 2, making trips to Midway and other areas. He suffered lung and ear damage and was discharged from the US Naval Hospital, Oakland, CA and the US Navy on 2 August 1943. Honorable Discharge at Mataomic. Rowland returned to Blaine, Oregon and continued treatments at Portland Veterans Hospital as he regained his health.

He spent the rest of his life working in the logging industry and retired from Crown Zellerbach. He was proud of his service to his country. As a member of the Portland Chapter Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, he worked hard to get the Pearl Harbor Survivor Oregon license plates. He helped with the Fleet of Flowers at Depoe Bay. Bill married Margie in 1942. They raised six sons and one daughter. Margie died in 1984 of cancer after a two year illness. In 1987, Bill married Wilma and she wrote that she was especially "blessed" to be a part of his "loving family."

He was an outdoor man: hunted, fished, trapped all his life. He loved to travel and did. And, always he remembered. He told his children and his grand children to be alert and never let another December 7th happen again.