T hree Oak Harbor men were a “band of brothers” who served in World War II.

The three Boe brothers were in different branches of the armed forces during the war, but their dedication to duty was the same.

Richard Boe has many tales to share, but the telling of his wartime experiences is complicated by his name change. In 1946, he legally changed his name to Roy McWilliams in honor of his stepfather, who had no offspring to carry on his family name.

The Boe brothers’ enlistments reflected the times in which they lived, McWilliams said.

“It was a patriotic war. Almost everyone wanted to join up,” McWilliams said.

McWilliams enthusiastically joined the 66th Infantry Division of the Army in 1943. He served one year before training to become a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He said the division was assigned to cross the Rhine River into Germany with the Allies.

He was caught up in the Battle of the Bulge and earned two Bronze Stars, among many awards he received for his service. But he was never wounded, for which he is thankful.

“The Lord put me where he wanted me,” he said.

After parachuting into Germany, the Allies battled for weeks to try to liberate Europe from the Germans. It was wintertime. McWilliams said his feet froze from sleeping on the snow-covered ground. He then burned his feet while thawing them over a camp fire and couldn’t put on his combat boots. Resourceful, he stuffed straw into a pair of galoshes. He ended up giving the boots to a French woman, who gave him bread in return.

Meantime, his brother Robert Boe had joined the Navy in 1944 and stayed in the service four years.

Now age 77, Robert said he served aboard a destroyer. The ship cleared waterways of three types of mines, which was dangerous work long after the war ended, he said.

Robert Boe said the family’s tradition of military service continues. Among relatives on active duty is his grandson serving in Iraq right now.

Robert Boe said he and his brothers also had a younger sibling, Donald Boe, who served as a medic in the Korean war and died during that era.

Charles Boe is the third brother who served with the U.S. Air Force during WWII. He lives in Oak Harbor but could not be reached before press time.

Roy McWilliams recounted some of his wartime experiences this week at Regency on Whidbey, a retirement community in Oak Harbor.

McWilliams encountered questioning of his military record in 2003 by the local VFW, which resulted in confirmation of his eligibility for membership. McWilliams has compiled a notebook of documents that verify his service and awards. He willingly shares the information with anyone who is interested.

He served until 1945, then boarded the ocean liner Queen Mary to return from Europe to the United States. Immediately, he joined the Navy to work aboard atomic submarines. He served in the Korean War. After the service, he helped build atomic subarines and then he worked for the Atomic Energy Commission at the Livermore Lab in California.

There are numerous strands to the lively octogenarian’s life. And McWilliams is available to community groups to discuss both his military and peacetime experiences, from battles to atomic bomb testing to diamonds.

He has spoken to veterans groups in Germany and the U.S., also schools and community service organizations.

“I have nothing to hide,” he said.