Background
He was born in Chicago, Illinois.
He was born in Chicago, Illinois.
He was a recipient of the Silver Star and the. He entered the Naval Reserve in 1967 and began active duty in the Naval Aviation Officer"s program in Pensacola, Florida. After receiving his Wings of Gold in 1969 at Kingsville, Texas, Lieutenant (junior grade) Bartholomay was assigned to the replacement F-4 Phantom Air Wing in San Diego, California and then to Fighter Squadron 161, Carrier Air Group 5 aboard United States Ship Midway.
During his second tour of duty onboard United States Ship Midway in Vietnam, LT Bartholomay, his Radar Intercept Officer Oran Brown, his wingman LT Pat Arwood, and his RIO LT Mike "Taco" Bell, confronted and shot down two North Vietnamese MiG-19 enemy aircraft on May 18, 1972 for which they were awarded the Silver Star.
After leaving the Navy, he went on to work as a weapons system engineer at Point Mugu, California, consulting on the Sidewinder Missile. At the end of that consulting contract, he returned to the Chicago area and worked in the insurance, investment, and technology industries.