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Personal info

Full name
DOLAN, Charles Jr
Date of birth
unknown
Age
unknown
Place of birth
unknown
Hometown
Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
O-825804
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
68th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
18 October 1944
Place of death
3 kilometers west of Middelburg, the Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
B 3 32

Immediate family

Members
Charles Dolan (father)
Margaret M. Dolan (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-50596
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Flak Magnet
Destination: Leverkusen, Germany
MACR: 9654

More information

2nd Lt Charles Dolan, jr, attended Boston College.

At 13:30 Hours Flak batteries shot off the tail of the B-24 (B-24J 42-50596, "Flak Magnet") which crashed near the caseates at Buttinge, 3 kilometers West of Middelburg on Walcheren Island, Holland. On return, the formation broke it's integrity near Brussels where a cloud layer, building up to 28,000 feet was encountered. Byron Davis' body was found in the water near Buttinge. The Island of Walcheren was inundated at that time, and only the higher lying parts (mostly centers) of the Villages were still dry. The Liberator must have crashed on inundated territory, which may explain the loss of bodies.
Analyzing the burial details in the casualty report, they concluded that Dolan, Davis and Fuxa were recovered and buried in Grijpskerke and Middelburg in October, December and April. It had been recorded that Davis' body was floating in the water and it is likely to accept that this was also valid for Dolan and Fuxa.

Source of information: Michel Beckers, Astrid van Erp, www.greenharbor.com, MACR 9654, www.wwiimemorial.com

Photo source: Michel Beckers, Michel Beckers/Willem Maljers