PVT FILE PHOTO U.S. Army Col. (ret.) Bill Byrns. Advertisement

Services will be held in Hawaii today for retired U.S. Army Col. Bill Byrns, a veteran of the cavalry in World War II, military film advisor and long-time Pahrump booster. He was 87.

The name colonel was usually used to refer to Byrns, either as "Colonel Byrns", "Colonel Bill" or just simply "the colonel." He had great enthusiasm for community service well into his 80s.

Byrns was Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce president in 2002-03. He was named president emeritus in 2004.

The Pahrump Town Board named him Citizen of the Year in 2004. In September 2001 he was the grand marshal in the 37th annual Harvest Festival parade, where he always marched dressed in his military uniform.

After the announcement that he was chosen grand marshal, Byrns said, "I do love this town and anything I can do for it I'm going to do."

Byrns enlisted in the 124th Cavalry Regiment in 1940, which served in North Africa and Italy and was assigned to the 91st Infantry Division. After the war, after twice having been blown out of a tank, he was placed on the temporary disabled list from combat injuries. He then organized overseas stations in the Armed Forces Radio and Television Network and was a Department of Defense advisor to the motion picture industry.

Byrns was promoted to colonel by the legendary Gen. George Patton in 1941, shortly after Byrns confronted Patton in the woods of Louisiana while guarding cavalry horses during a massive maneuver. That was before he noticed the two stars on Patton's uniform, shining in the moonlight.

When Byrns stayed with President Eisenhower while an advisor to the film industry, he was pleased to find the decorated World War II hero preferred the title of general to president. He also worked with future President Ronald Reagan.

Byrns and his wife Ellen moved to Honolulu in February 2005, after 17 years in Pahrump, to be near their grandchildren. He closed the Round Table Pizza restaurant he owned in the Pahrump Valley Junction Shopping Center in 2003, just before his 84th birthday, citing problems with theft, high rent and the inability to take a vacation.

A back room at Round Table Pizza was a veritable museum of his memorabilia. Numerous community organizations met there.

His room had old newspapers on the wall that proclaimed "Germany Surrenders," "Assassin Kills Kennedy" and "U.S. Moon Triumph." A typewritten certificate honored Byrns for being commanding officer of the Armed Forces Network in Korea from 1962 to 1963. A Silver Star citation mentioned his gallantry in action in the infantry in Italy in 1945.

There was a photo of Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in major league baseball. Byrns and Robinson became second lieutenants and good friends the same day. Photos of FDR, President Kennedy, Eisenhower and Mount Rushmore adorned the walls. World War II hero Audie Murphy was shown with his Medal of Honor.

An arrow was on display on the wall at Round Table Pizza, given to Byrns by the famous actor John Wayne while filming "The Green Berets" at Fort Benning, Ga., in 1967. Wayne referred to Byrns as "the last of the straight arrows," the inscription read.

Byrns met the "king of rock" himself when Elvis Presley was discharged from the Army in 1960.

"I asked him to make a promise to wear his dress blues when he got off the train in Memphis," Byrns told the Pahrump Valley View about Elvis during an interview in 2000. "And he did. He was an extremely nice guy, very polite and always saying 'yes sir' and 'no sir.' "

Community leaders talked about naming something after Byrns, perhaps the veterans memorial or a part of the Pahrump museum.

"I just think he was loved by everyone who knew him, and he loved Pahrump back. We were very sorry to see him move when he did but knew that was the best thing for him and his wife. It's just a great loss to everyone who knew Bill," Pahrump Valley Chamber Chief Executive Officer Kari Frilot said.

"He was a wonderful man, he did so much for this community it's unbelievable everything he did," said former Pahrump Chamber Executive Director Kathy Pallares-Gnecco. "You could always count on him to speak very positively about Pahrump."

Probably his finest hour, she said, was when he organized a concert by the 30-piece U.S. Marine Corps band from Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., at the Harvest Festival in 2000. He also lined up the ceremonial 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Byrns was also instrumental in coordinating a display of the Vietnam Veterans moving wall in Pahrump in 2003. He described that as the event he was most proud of accomplishing.

While on the Pahrump chamber board, he attempted to mediate disputes within a squabbling leadership, encouraging directors to show their community pride.

Byrns worked with Pahrump Museum curator Harry Ford and was on the Salvation Army board.

"Bill was just a great guy. He would give you the world and not ask for anything in return. He was always about looking out for the best interest of the community and doing what was right for the community and should be admired for that," said Robert Worden, chamber president in 2001-02.

Funeral services are scheduled at 10:30 a.m. today, Hawaiian time, Aug. 10, 2007, at Kaimuki Christian Church in Honolulu. He will be interred in the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, Hawaii.

In 2001 he said, "I don't feel any older than I did when I was 20 years old. The good Lord has been good to me."

When it came to patriotism, Byrns said, "If they asked me to be a soldier, I'd go back tomorrow, without pay."