SGT Charles F. Dolan 

When Charles was born on March 28, 1905, his family lived at Echo Ave in New Rochelle. He was the second surviving child of Herbert Dolan (a civil engineer) and Mary Brennan (who had emigrated from Ireland). He had an older brother, Herbert, born in 1900 and a younger brother, William, born in 1907. A sister, Mary, was born in July of 1902 and died in September of 1902.  

In the 1910 census the Dolan Family is on Lester Place in New Rochelle. The house number is not given in the census but the homes built in 1907 on Lester Place are very big, beautiful homes. 

Charles attended Evander Childs High School and worked for Dun and Bradstreet at the time he went into the service. He was living with his brother, William, and sister in law, Alice, and her two children from a previous marriage, Barbara and Ruth. Charles was a Catholic and a member of St. Augustine’s Church.  

In his personal effects, there were 2 “tags, inscribed”, one with the name Charlie and the other with the name Ruth. He was 38 years old at the time of his death and a bachelor but his emergency contact was Ruth L. Gatchell of 222 Ketcham St., Apt 6-D, Elmhurst. Was this a romance? She is listed as a Friend. In the 1940 census, she is listed as working in a “credit house” as a secretary. Dun and Bradstreet? She was 35.

According to his nephew, he was a cartographer in World War II and was in the process of mapping New Zealand (apparently, there were no maps of New Zealand in existence except for children’s maps). In his effects, there was a guide to Australia. The plane he was on crashed and it was considered non-battle. His body was recovered and buried in the Ipswich USAF Cemetery in Brisbane. He was eventually transferred to the United States and buried at Long Island National Cemetery.  

His older brother, Herbert, passed away in 1948 so his younger brother, William, became the contact for the government.  

Charles’s mother passed away in 1930 in New Rochelle and his father in 1931.

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