Bohn was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, on November 30, 1921, and, following high school, he graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco.

During his university studies, Bohn enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in August 1942 and following his graduation in April 1944, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on May 3, 1944.

After ten weeks of hard drill, Bohn sailed to the Pacific area to be assign to the Marine detachment aboard the light aircraft carrier USS Monterey.

Upon the end of the War, Bohn remained in active service and after his transfer to the United States, he spent some time with the Marine Barracks in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advancing under enemy rifle and machine gun fire, Bohn was wounded in the shoulder and neck, but refused to be evacuated and continued to personally lead and deploy his troops in an effective attack.

In April 1952, Bohn was appointed to the prestigious capacity of naval aide to General Omar Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Upon graduation from the course in 1954, Bohn was attached as Operations Officer (S-3) to the Training Unit-I under Lieutenant Colonel Regan Fuller at Camp Pendleton, where he participated in the development of new combat tactics and techniques.

His tour of duty ended in December 1957, when he was ordered to the staff of the Marine Corps Schools Quantico as an instructor of Tactics within Junior Course.

Shortly before the outbreak of Communist-attempted coup in Dominican Republic in April 1965, Bohn's unit was designated "Ready Battalion" within the 2nd Marine Division.

Bohn decided to take his battalion on a conditioning march from Camp Lejeune to Fort Bragg, but 2nd Marine Division Commander, Major General Ormond R. Simpson, disallowed it.

Bohn as Commander of "Ready Battalion", constantly called the division headquarters and asked if he should return to Camp Lejeune.

[3] Bohn was transferred to Washington, D.C., in October 1965 and assumed duties as a member of NATO Military Posture Study group, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

His division took part in the combats in Quế Sơn Valley at that time and Bohn assumed command of 5th Marine Regiment on October 17, 1967.

He was relieved by Major General Fred E. Haynes Jr. at the end of September of that year and subsequently ordered back to Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., as Assistant Chief of Staff for programs.