Second Lieutenant James Joseph Dolan, Army serial number O-749835, was born at Los Angeles, California on September 26, 1920. His family and friends called him Jimmy Joe. He was the youngest of four children of Francis Hager Dolan (23 Jun 1880 – 24 Sep 1956), who was born at Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska; and Josephine Ware (Happersett) Dolan (19 Jul 1880 – 8 Dec 1967), who was born at Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio. His parents married at the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana in Los Angeles, California on November 19, 1902. His father was a real estate broker.
His siblings were Alice Elizabeth (Dolan) Cunningham (1903 – 1970), Frances Pauline (Dolan) Flynn (1905 – 1992), and Mary Roberta (Dolan) Kane (abt 1918 – 1978). In January 1920 the family lived at 1726 W 54th Street, Los Angeles, California. By 1930 they lived at 3660 Aureola Boulevard in Los Angeles.
He completed three years of college at the University of Southern California, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Los Angeles, California on June 5, 1942.
He completed Army Air Forces bombardier training at Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico, and received his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant on July 10, 1943. He was then assigned to the heavy bomber crew of Lt Robert O. Shacklett. Lt Shacklett's crew was initially assigned to the Webb Provisional Group at Gowen Field, Idaho; and was then attached to the 538th Bomb Squadron, 382nd Bomb Group, at Pocatello Army Air Base, Idaho. In November 1943 Lt Shacklett's crew was assigned to the 839th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Bruning Army Air Base, Nebraska. In December 1943 the 487th Bomb Group moved to Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. The Shacklett crew completed B-24 crew training with the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. They flew B-24H 42-52618 'Chief Wapello' from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. In July 1944 the 487th Bomb Group transitioned to flying the B-17 Flying Fortress.
After arrival at Lavenham, Lt Dolan was assigned to the lead crew of Lt Joseph A. Duncan in the 839th Bomb Squadron. Here is Lt Duncan's crew roster on August 25, 1944:
B-17G 43-37980 – 839th Bomb Squadron
• Duncan, Joseph A – 1/Lt – Pilot – POW
• Rogers, Winston S – Capt – Air Leader – KIA
• Jones, Richard L – Capt – Pilotage Navigator – KIA
• Friedman, Ely N – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Dolan, James J – 2/Lt – Bombardier – KIA
• Henahan, Joseph W – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Brown, Gerard F – T/Sgt – Radio operator – KIA
• Everett, Lloyd E – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Brown, Rhodes L – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – KIA
• Wolyn, Monroe S – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – POW
• Hood Jr, James – 2/Lt – Tail Gunner – MIA
On August 25, 1944, the Duncan crew took off from Lavenham Airfield in B-17G 43-37980, the deputy lead aircraft in the Lead Squadron, on a mission to bomb the German airfield at Rechlin, Germany. Captain Winston S. Rogers flew in the copilot position as Air Leader. Copilot Lt James Hood Jr moved to the tail gunner position as Officer Tail Gunner and formation observer. Lt Dolan and eight of his crewmates were killed in action when the aircraft was hit by flak just after bombs away over Rechlin, Germany. The right outer wing was lost, and the burning aircraft went into a spin, exploded, and crashed in Muritz Lake (Müritzsee) near Boek, Germany, north of the target. Two crew members, 1/Lt Joseph Anderson Duncan and S/Sgt Monroe Stanley Wolyn, were blown clear and survived. Lt Hood apparently never left his position in the tail, and went down with the aircraft wreckage in Muritz Lake.
Lt Dolan's body was found in Muritz Lake near Steinhorn, northwest of Rechlin, on September 17, 1944. He was buried along with seven of his crewmates at the Retzow Cemetery in Retzow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, a short distance from Rechlin Airfield. Lt Hood's body was never found, and his remains were deemed nonrecoverable in August 1949.
Lt Dolan's remains were returned to the United States and interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California on June 6, 1949. He is buried in the Sunny Slope Section, Lot 370, Grave W14, next to his parents.
His parents donated a statue of 'Christ the Good Shepherd' to Transfiguration Catholic Church in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California, in memory of Lt Dolan. The inscription on the pedestal reads:
TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE OF THIS PARISH WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY AND GAVE THEIR LIVES UPHOLDING THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE AND CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES.
ERECTED BY FRANCIS HAGER DOLAN AND JOSEPHINE HAPPERSETT DOLAN IN MEMORY OF THEIR BELOVED SON LT. JAMES JOSEPH DOLAN, 1947.
Sources:
1. 49 Squadron Association. Retzow Cemetery in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany (shows location of cemetery, east of the town)
2. 487th Bomb Group Association
3. 1910 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 521 W 53rd Street. Dolan, H Francis. 16 Apr 1910 (his father)
4. 1920 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 1726 W 54th Street. Dolan, Francis H. 6 Jan 1920 (his father)
5. 1930 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Venice Township; 3660 Aureola Boulevard. Dolan, Francis H. 14 Apr 1930 (his father)
6. 1940 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Venice Township; View Park; 3660 Aureola Blvd. Dolan, Francis H. 19 Apr 1940 (his father)
7. California Death Records, 1940–1997: DOLAN, JOSEPHIN H [sic]; mother's maiden name: DYE; birth 19 Jul 1880; death 8 Dec 1967; birth place Ohio; death place: Los Angeles County (his mother)
8. California, County Marriages, 1850–1952: Francis H. Dolan, age 23, married Josephine W. Happersett, age 22, at Saint Vibiana Cathedral, Los Angeles, California on 19 Nov 1902. (his parents)
9. Cemetery records of Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA
10. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
11. Duncan, Joseph A. Personal Conversation. 23 Sep 2014 (Pilot, 839th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group)
12. Enlistment Record of James J. Dolan
13. Flynn, Ronald B. Personal Communication. Aug 2011 (cousin of James J. Dolan)
14. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. Special Orders Number 71. 11 March 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
15. (The) Los Angeles Times. Obituary of Lt. James Joseph Dolan. Los Angeles CA, 4 Jun 1949
16. Social Security Death Index
17. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 8470
18. U.S. Department of the Army, Adjutant General Office, Technical Records Section. Individual Deceased Personnel File of James J. Dolan, O-749835 (aka '293 File')
19. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
20. U.S. World War II Memorial Registry. Honoree James J. Dolan (honored by Joyce Flynn)
Research by:
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
Last edited 3 Mar 2024
Second Lieutenant James Joseph Dolan, Army serial number O-749835, was born at Los Angeles, California on September 26, 1920. His family and friends called him Jimmy Joe. He was the youngest of four children of Francis Hager Dolan (23 Jun 1880 – 24 Sep 1956), who was born at Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska; and Josephine Ware (Happersett) Dolan (19 Jul 1880 – 8 Dec 1967), who was born at Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio. His parents married at the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana in Los Angeles, California on November 19, 1902. His father was a real estate broker.
His siblings were Alice Elizabeth (Dolan) Cunningham (1903 – 1970), Frances Pauline (Dolan) Flynn (1905 – 1992), and Mary Roberta (Dolan) Kane (abt 1918 – 1978). In January 1920 the family lived at 1726 W 54th Street, Los Angeles, California. By 1930 they lived at 3660 Aureola Boulevard in Los Angeles.
He completed three years of college at the University of Southern California, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Los Angeles, California on June 5, 1942.
He completed Army Air Forces bombardier training at Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico, and received his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant on July 10, 1943. He was then assigned to the heavy bomber crew of Lt Robert O. Shacklett. Lt Shacklett's crew was initially assigned to the Webb Provisional Group at Gowen Field, Idaho; and was then attached to the 538th Bomb Squadron, 382nd Bomb Group, at Pocatello Army Air Base, Idaho. In November 1943 Lt Shacklett's crew was assigned to the 839th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Bruning Army Air Base, Nebraska. In December 1943 the 487th Bomb Group moved to Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. The Shacklett crew completed B-24 crew training with the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. They flew B-24H 42-52618 'Chief Wapello' from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Lavenham, England via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. In July 1944 the 487th Bomb Group transitioned to flying the B-17 Flying Fortress.
After arrival at Lavenham, Lt Dolan was assigned to the lead crew of Lt Joseph A. Duncan in the 839th Bomb Squadron. Here is Lt Duncan's crew roster on August 25, 1944:
B-17G 43-37980 – 839th Bomb Squadron
• Duncan, Joseph A – 1/Lt – Pilot – POW
• Rogers, Winston S – Capt – Air Leader – KIA
• Jones, Richard L – Capt – Pilotage Navigator – KIA
• Friedman, Ely N – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Dolan, James J – 2/Lt – Bombardier – KIA
• Henahan, Joseph W – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Brown, Gerard F – T/Sgt – Radio operator – KIA
• Everett, Lloyd E – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Brown, Rhodes L – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – KIA
• Wolyn, Monroe S – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – POW
• Hood Jr, James – 2/Lt – Tail Gunner – MIA
On August 25, 1944, the Duncan crew took off from Lavenham Airfield in B-17G 43-37980, the deputy lead aircraft in the Lead Squadron, on a mission to bomb the German airfield at Rechlin, Germany. Captain Winston S. Rogers flew in the copilot position as Air Leader. Copilot Lt James Hood Jr moved to the tail gunner position as Officer Tail Gunner and formation observer. Lt Dolan and eight of his crewmates were killed in action when the aircraft was hit by flak just after bombs away over Rechlin, Germany. The right outer wing was lost, and the burning aircraft went into a spin, exploded, and crashed in Muritz Lake (Müritzsee) near Boek, Germany, north of the target. Two crew members, 1/Lt Joseph Anderson Duncan and S/Sgt Monroe Stanley Wolyn, were blown clear and survived. Lt Hood apparently never left his position in the tail, and went down with the aircraft wreckage in Muritz Lake.
Lt Dolan's body was found in Muritz Lake near Steinhorn, northwest of Rechlin, on September 17, 1944. He was buried along with seven of his crewmates at the Retzow Cemetery in Retzow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, a short distance from Rechlin Airfield. Lt Hood's body was never found, and his remains were deemed nonrecoverable in August 1949.
Lt Dolan's remains were returned to the United States and interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California on June 6, 1949. He is buried in the Sunny Slope Section, Lot 370, Grave W14, next to his parents.
His parents donated a statue of 'Christ the Good Shepherd' to Transfiguration Catholic Church in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California, in memory of Lt Dolan. The inscription on the pedestal reads:
TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE OF THIS PARISH WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY AND GAVE THEIR LIVES UPHOLDING THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE AND CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES.
ERECTED BY FRANCIS HAGER DOLAN AND JOSEPHINE HAPPERSETT DOLAN IN MEMORY OF THEIR BELOVED SON LT. JAMES JOSEPH DOLAN, 1947.
Sources:
1. 49 Squadron Association. Retzow Cemetery in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany (shows location of cemetery, east of the town)
2. 487th Bomb Group Association
3. 1910 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 521 W 53rd Street. Dolan, H Francis. 16 Apr 1910 (his father)
4. 1920 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Los Angeles; 1726 W 54th Street. Dolan, Francis H. 6 Jan 1920 (his father)
5. 1930 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Venice Township; 3660 Aureola Boulevard. Dolan, Francis H. 14 Apr 1930 (his father)
6. 1940 US Census; California; Los Angeles County; Venice Township; View Park; 3660 Aureola Blvd. Dolan, Francis H. 19 Apr 1940 (his father)
7. California Death Records, 1940–1997: DOLAN, JOSEPHIN H [sic]; mother's maiden name: DYE; birth 19 Jul 1880; death 8 Dec 1967; birth place Ohio; death place: Los Angeles County (his mother)
8. California, County Marriages, 1850–1952: Francis H. Dolan, age 23, married Josephine W. Happersett, age 22, at Saint Vibiana Cathedral, Los Angeles, California on 19 Nov 1902. (his parents)
9. Cemetery records of Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA
10. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
11. Duncan, Joseph A. Personal Conversation. 23 Sep 2014 (Pilot, 839th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group)
12. Enlistment Record of James J. Dolan
13. Flynn, Ronald B. Personal Communication. Aug 2011 (cousin of James J. Dolan)
14. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. Special Orders Number 71. 11 March 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
15. (The) Los Angeles Times. Obituary of Lt. James Joseph Dolan. Los Angeles CA, 4 Jun 1949
16. Social Security Death Index
17. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 8470
18. U.S. Department of the Army, Adjutant General Office, Technical Records Section. Individual Deceased Personnel File of James J. Dolan, O-749835 (aka '293 File')
19. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
20. U.S. World War II Memorial Registry. Honoree James J. Dolan (honored by Joyce Flynn)
Research by:
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
Last edited 3 Mar 2024
Inscription
OUR BELOVED SON
LT. JAMES JOSEPH DOLAN
1920 – 1944
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