Henry Dar Boggia

Personal

Vocation

Family

American army pilot and interpreter, joining the service at 16 to take part in the Italian civil war. He was a fearless and well-liked leader of his men. His widow, Marguerite Dar Boggia, writes, "In September 1923 when he was 19 he was out of the body for 20 days in the hospital, Caserta, Italy. He was given the last rites and a telegram was sent to his parents that he had died. His mother did not see the telegram and kept calling him. While out of the body he was taken on a tour of the planes and was shown past incarnations, including one in ancient Greece when a statue was erected to honor his bravery. In many of his lives, he was a warrior." Henry wrote and published his first book in Italian right after his OBE. (It was on the style of "Blood and Sand.") Later when he returned to the U.S. in August 1929, he worked as a French interpreter at the Pennsylvania Hotel in New York City before gradually moving into writing and radio work. He wrote a soap opera based on his book for an Italian Radio Station and acted in episodes that were presented as plays in a theater. Henry also produced a play in Italian that he had written, "Diana's hour," on Broadway and it was given an excellent review by the critic for the NY Times. As WW II emerged, he worked in a defense plant. He and Marguerite were partners from the time they met at the New York City lodge of the Rosicicrucion Order, 9/17/1944. They worked together on a radio program for WBNX that presented various comedies and dramas which Henry wrote and produced for a 15-minute program every day. When he wrote a satire on the political system, he was told to either write straight comedies and dramas, or to get off the air. When the Second World War ended, Henry and Marguerite quit, around August 1945 and Marguerite kept up their support in order that Henry could write. He wrote many plays, and also a novel. The couple developed strong metaphysical interests together with their examination and sharing of past life experiences, meditation and the occult and they had a committed relationship until Henry's death on 1/11/1976.