On his 100th birthday, the eyes of former active-duty Marine Dorsey Walker were as clear and bright as ever. He was the guest of honor at the Holly Lake Ranch Volunteer Fire Department Hall on the day, Jan. 1, when he celebrated becoming a centenarian.

It was a fellow resident at Holly Lake Ranch, Robert Dymek, who was responsible for organizing a memorable 100th birthday celebration for Walker. 

Dymek stated, “Not only is Dorsey a great man, he is also a World War Two combat veteran. There are very few such men yet with us.” 

Also a veteran, Dymek took it upon himself to organize a notable birthday celebration for Walker. Calls went out to friends, fellow vets, the governor’s office, even the Pentagon. 

What ensued was a remarkable event. In addition to two dozen family members, there were representatives present from the Wood County Marine Corps League, the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club, the Texas Piney Woods Veterans Group and the VFW Lindale. 

The Community Hall at the Holly Lake Ranch VFD was decorated and tables full of food prepared.  

Dymek – who operates the GHQ Mobile Military Museum – prepared displays which featured Walker’s Marine Corps uniforms, as well as a projection of personal photos from that time in Walker’s life.    

Hailing from Huntington (near Lufkin) Walker joined the Marines directly from Angelina County.

“They always took the tough kids from East Texas to the Marine Corps,” he stated. 

He was deployed to the Central Pacific with the Fourth Marine Division.  

He spoke, without hesitation, about his service

“I spent 28 days on Iwo Jima…and I spent 28 nights there. The nights were terrible.”  

The Japanese were renown for conducting their counterattacks against the American lines at night – making for some horrific hours between sunset and sunrise.

Iwo Jima was not Walker’s only combat experience. He also participated in the invasion of Saipan.

Walker said about the meaning of service, “I can’t express what it means to me.” That comment was not offered due to an inability to recollect words, but rather because of the deep-seated meaning of service to Walker.

He added, “I knew a lot of good men who never came home.” 

Much has been written about the generation of servicemen who did return from World War Two and put their energies into building the United States into a world power. Walker is one of those men.

After the war he had three careers – in the railroad postal service, with Carnation Dairies and with the Texas Highway Department. Eventually he came to Holly Lake Ranch and has been a resident for the past 20 years.  

With a wink to the female well-wishers and a firm handshake to the men coming to show their respects, Walker obviously enjoyed the celebration. 

His parting words were about the Marine Corps.

“Being a Marine,” he shared, “means everything to me.”