2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Sum mary ▁ ▁Bow ers ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁including ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁I wo ▁J ima , ▁as ▁a ▁param ar ine ▁in ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁he ▁was ▁p ump ing ▁gas ▁at ▁a ▁service ▁station ▁in ▁Hollywood ▁when ▁he ▁says ▁Walter ▁P idge on ▁gave ▁him ▁$ 2 0 ▁for ▁a ▁gay ▁sexual ▁encounter . ▁Word ▁spread ▁about ▁Bow ers ▁among ▁P idge on ' s ▁friends , ▁and ▁Bow ers ▁turned ▁the ▁service ▁station ▁into ▁a ▁meeting ▁place ▁for ▁paid ▁sexual ▁enc oun ters , ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁a ▁nearby ▁tra iler ▁or ▁hotel , ▁with ▁his ▁old ▁marine ▁friends ▁assist ing ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁business . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁he ▁stopped ▁working ▁at ▁the ▁service ▁station ▁and ▁began ▁a ▁legit imate ▁business ▁as ▁a ▁party ▁b art ender . ▁Bow ers ▁became ▁well ▁known ▁in ▁Hollywood ▁for ▁arr anging ▁sexual ▁enc oun ters ▁for ▁gay ▁men , ▁les bi ans , ▁bis ex uals , ▁and ▁heter osex uals ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁party ▁service . ▁In ▁the ▁book ▁Bow ers ▁claims ▁he ▁arranged ▁gay ▁or ▁bis ex ual ▁enc oun ters ▁for ▁many ▁actors ▁and ▁notable ▁persons . ▁Bow ers ' ▁ill ic it ▁activities ▁were ▁never ▁detected ▁by ▁the ▁authorities ; ▁he ▁kept ▁all ▁his ▁contact ▁information ▁in ▁his ▁head . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁popular ity ▁of ▁the ▁film ▁Deep ▁Th ro at ,