Private First Class Bolin was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously injured in North Korea on 30 November 1950 and returned to duty on 27 January 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 18 May 1951.

Bolin was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.