Atomic Veteran Harold Dorin
Harold “Hal” Dorin has spent a lifetime serving others. From helping support the U.S. Navy’s Cold War operations to coaching youth sports, volunteering in his community, and cherishing every moment with his family, Hal’s life has been defined by service, dedication, and love.
Recently, Gilchrist had the privilege of honoring that extraordinary life through its Honoring Our Veterans Program, recognizing Hal’s military service with a Salute to Service Tribute surrounded by the people who mean the most to him.
Serving His Country
Born in New York City in 1930, Hal graduated from Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles before earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in 1953.
After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy, attended Officer Candidate School, and was assigned to the USS Chickasaw (ATF-83), a Navajo-class fleet tug that participated in U.S. operations in the Pacific during the 1950s, including the era of nuclear testing at the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands. Service members involved in those operations are known as atomic veterans. During his naval career, Hal also trained as a diver.
His final duty assignment was aboard the USS Conserver, a Bolster-class rescue and salvage ship that served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Hal was honorably discharged in 1957 but continued serving his country in the Navy Reserves.
Following his military service, Hal built another distinguished career as an ocean engineer. After briefly working in the private sector, he spent the remainder of his career with the Department of the Navy in Washington, D.C., planning and supervising the installation of underwater communications cables throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. His work connected locations across the globe, including Europe, Alaska, and numerous U.S. lighthouses.
Family Is Everything
In 1957, Hal met Doris on a blind date in New York City. They married two years later and built a life centered on family, raising three children, Joanna, Adam, and Paul, and eventually welcoming nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Hal’s favorite saying was simple: “Family is everything.”
He lived those words every day by volunteering with the PTA, coaching youth sports, supporting Scouting, and serving for many years as an election judge. Hal and Doris also shared a love of travel, exploring countries throughout Europe, Israel, and China, while especially enjoying time together in Hawaii and Alaska. An accomplished runner, Hal completed the Boston Marathon, the New York Marathon, and the Marine Corps Marathon. His love of storytelling continued throughout his life as well. He wrote numerous short stories and published the novel The Last Ferry South, a high-seas thriller following a perilous ferry journey from Anchorage to Seattle.
A Meaningful Tribute
Recently, Hal was honored through Gilchrist’s Honoring Our Veterans Program, which recognizes veterans for their military service while they are still able to hear the words, “Thank you for your service.”
Led by a team of Gilchrist veteran volunteers, Hal’s Salute to Service Tribute included an opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the presentation of a Gilchrist certificate, an Honoring Our Veterans pin, a patriotic blanket handmade by a Gilchrist volunteer, and a thank-you card created by a local student. Doris received a Proud Wife of a Veteran pin and patriotic scarf, while Hal’s three children were presented with Proud Family Member of a Veteran pins. The ceremony concluded with an honor salute and a closing prayer.
For Hal’s daughter, Joanna, the tribute was a meaningful experience for the entire family. “It’s been fabulous so far. Everyone has been so supportive and wonderful,” she says of their experience with Gilchrist. “The experience with Rick and the other veteran volunteers was really, really meaningful.”
Gilchrist’s Honoring Our Veterans Program recognizes the unique experiences and sacrifices of those who have served in the military. Through Salute to Service Tributes, specially trained veteran volunteers provide meaningful recognition, companionship, and support to fellow veterans and their families, ensuring they receive the gratitude and dignity they deserve at the end of life.
This special program is made possible through the generosity of donors. Philanthropic support helps provide veteran recognition ceremonies, patriotic keepsakes, volunteer training, and other specialized services at no cost to patients and families.
