From the time he was a boy, Ed Dowling felt the call of the sea. He lied about his age in order to serve in World War I and spent the remainder of his life as a sailor. During World War II he led the rescue of children from a burning orphanage in The Netherlands. In peacetime he joined the Merchant Marine, where he rose to the rank of Captain. His final ship, the General Upshur, was given the Good Ship Award. His Riverside Drive apartment in New York City overlooked the Hudson River, and he had a lakeside vacation home in the Hudson Valley. Perhaps because he preferred to be on the water rather than under it, he had an intense fear of underwater tunnels, and rather than drive through the Lincoln Tunnel, he would take the long way across the George Washington Bridge. He loved music and enjoyed singing traditional Irish songs. His one dream -- which remained unfulfilled -- was to conduct an orchestra. Tragically, his only son was killed in a car accident. He doted on his sister Leona's two daughters, Millie and Janice. While in the North Sea carrying explosives on the General Upshur, he had a heart attack and was taken to a British Naval Hospital. He appeared to be improving, but a second heart attack took his life. On the day of his funeral in Washington, his niece Janice received a letter from him saying he was doing well and looked forward to coming home. His British roommate in the hospital wrote to say what a fine, brave man he was. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.
From the time he was a boy, Ed Dowling felt the call of the sea. He lied about his age in order to serve in World War I and spent the remainder of his life as a sailor. During World War II he led the rescue of children from a burning orphanage in The Netherlands. In peacetime he joined the Merchant Marine, where he rose to the rank of Captain. His final ship, the General Upshur, was given the Good Ship Award. His Riverside Drive apartment in New York City overlooked the Hudson River, and he had a lakeside vacation home in the Hudson Valley. Perhaps because he preferred to be on the water rather than under it, he had an intense fear of underwater tunnels, and rather than drive through the Lincoln Tunnel, he would take the long way across the George Washington Bridge. He loved music and enjoyed singing traditional Irish songs. His one dream -- which remained unfulfilled -- was to conduct an orchestra. Tragically, his only son was killed in a car accident. He doted on his sister Leona's two daughters, Millie and Janice. While in the North Sea carrying explosives on the General Upshur, he had a heart attack and was taken to a British Naval Hospital. He appeared to be improving, but a second heart attack took his life. On the day of his funeral in Washington, his niece Janice received a letter from him saying he was doing well and looked forward to coming home. His British roommate in the hospital wrote to say what a fine, brave man he was. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.
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BOATSWAIN USCGR
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