Page 90 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine

Paul Bowen
his small-town Indiana
boy, Paul Bowen, born
Tin 1936, was raised in a
family of five brothers and five
sisters. A week before his high
school graduation in 1952, at
the age of 17, Paul enlisted in
the U. S. Army. His change of
address was not that distant
from his Indiana home, but the
move to basic training at Fort
Campbell, Kentucky was a life-
changing experience.
Soon, as a member of the 101st
Airborne, Paul found that the
tradition and heritage of this
special unit was challenging
and rewarding. He was not the
first of his family to serve in the
101st as his father had enlisted
at the beginning of World
War II and fought at the siege
of Bastogne during the Battle
of the Bulge in 1944. After
basic, he completed training
in demolition, mechanic, and
engineer schools. Paul thought
his primary duty would be “to
tear down bridges and build
hospitals,” but Uncle Sam had
other plans for him.
Within a few months after high
school graduation, Paul found
himself in Korea, leading a
90 Senior Link
Fulfilling Destiny
by Eddie Tubbs
platoon of
the 101st
Airborne
534th
Demolition
Team,
helping to
provide
protection
for the
landing at
Inchon and
its flank. Instead of building
hospitals, he was part of an
operation to set booby traps and
lay mine fields. The firefights
were numerous, and the odds
always seemed to be against the
unit, but Paul can’t forget the
courage and devotion to each
other that carried them through
the battle.
Paul discovered that a can of
Spaghetti-Os or Beanie Weenies
tastes best when heated over a
tank muffler or anything hot.
The best thing that happened
in Korea was the day he heard
the Korean Armistice had been
signed.
After his discharge in 1958,
Paul met Yvonne Kaltz,
whose folks owned a “Mom
and Pop’s” cafe in Roseville,
Michigan. When he made his
way up to Roseville, Yvonne
would always have a
hot breakfast ready for
him. In 1973, with three
boys and a little girl in
tow, they set off for the
farming community of
Hartley in the panhandle
of Texas, where Paul
would put to use his skills
as a mechanic on irrigation
motors.
With his training and a natural
talent for anything mechanical,
he was quickly recognized as a
master mechanic and, during
those hot summer months,
kept the wells pumping. As his
children grew and gave Yvonne
and him families filled with
grandchildren, Paul discovered
a passion that is alive and
growing to this day. In 1989,
Paul went to work for a farmer
named Paul Gore to maintain
and overhaul more irrigation
motors. A few years later, he
moved from irrigation motors
and entered into a working
agreement with Paul Gore
to specialize in automotive
restoration.
In two decades, Paul has
restored over 200 cars from
various degrees of needed
restoration and 50 from ground
up off frame. In his work with
Paul Gore, he has traveled
across the United States to find
and pick up cars in various
conditions. One of the best
moments for Paul is seeing
people light up when they see
a classic car returned to its
once hidden style and beauty.
It is nothing unusual for the