Corporal Bolyard was a member of the 1st Air Delivery Platoon, Combat Service Command, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. He was Killed in Action while participating in aerial support over Korea on 21 November 1950.

Bolyard was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.