Francis George Dolsen

Military
media-35510.jpeg UPL 35510 B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia.

My photo, taken 7 October 2018.

Object Number - UPL 35510 - B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia.

Francis Dolsen was Assistant Radio Operator on his 14th mission. On that mission, November 5, 1943 to Gelsenkirchen on B-17 #42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk II', pilot William R. Flesh ordered a bail out after plane suffered severe bomb damage. 8 men jumped, but pilot Flesh and Co-Pilot John G. Gossage were able to regain control and landed at the RAF base at Tangmere, Kent. Francis Dolsen was one of the four men made prisoner. Radio Operator Conner Brewster was killed when his parachute didn't open. Three other crew members managed to evade with the help of the Belgian Comète evasion network. MACR 15553.



Awards : Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster/ WWII POW Medal.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve

100th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Conner Daniel Brewster

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34201968
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner

William Richard Flesh

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17033849 at enlistment, then O-725595
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

George P Gineikis

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11045517
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Omar Jose Gonzales

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18024533 at enlistment, then O-725967
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator

John George Gossage

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11063596 at enlistment, then O-798486
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30088) nicknamed "Squawkin' Hawk I" of the 100th Bomb Group, signed by personnel. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Thorpe Abbott. Home 17/5/44. 100th Bomb Group.' Printed caption on reverse: '53312AC - Proud Veteran Goes Home ... With hundreds of autographs on its sleek hull, the war-weary veteran Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Squawkin' Hawk I" is shown shortly before it took off from its 8th AAF bases in England to return to the U.S. for retirement. Covering 47,720

42-30088

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Squawkin' Hawk II
  • Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron 100th Bomb Group

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

13 February 1921

Other

captured

5 November 1943 in the vicinity of Peer, Limburg Province, Belgium, after bailing out of B-17 42-30088

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

5 November 1943 Interned at Stalag Luft 3, Sagan, Poland. Force-marched from there to another (unidentified) camp. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Military Control 10 August 1945."  

Died

4 September 2016 Novi, Michigan

Buried/ Commemorated

Francis Dolsen rests at the Wixom Cemetery, Wixom, Oakland County, Michigan

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Added an Association to the 100th BG, the parent bomb group of the 349th, 350th, 351st & 418th Bomb Squadrons & the 412th Air Service group.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 15553
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
VA Gravesite Locator

Date
Contributorusxpat
Changes
Sources

http://www.casterlinefuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/CASTER1/memsol.cgi…

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey pp. 511-2

Francis George Dolsen: Gallery (3 items)

Object number: UPL 35510 - B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia.

Object number: UPL 35521 - Navigator Lt. Russell Engell's uniforms & B-17...

Object number: UPL 35522 - B-17 'Squawkin' Hawk' crew memorabilia.