A Story on Memorial Day, May 30th, 2022
It was June 1944 in Normandy France
Sometimes, all it takes is an idea! It was the last weekend in May and Memorial Day was almost here. The Group Session from Saturday had been on my mind, a touching moment where three soldiers from the Vietnam War came in to thank and praise their Sargent who was in the audience. Their parting words were “We “II see you on Monday”. A day where they knew he would be thinking about all of them. From their gratitude and kindness, I decided it would be a good idea to take the family to the Memorial Day Gathering in Roswell Georgia, the very next day!
Monday morning came around and it was bright and clear. There was barely time to walk the dog and off we went. There was something different in the air. It wasn’t sadness, it wasn’t fear about talking about difficult things. It just felt quiet and still. The only noise was an army plane that buzzed over head. We arrived at Roswell City Town Hall an hour before the ceremony was to begin, for fear of no place to park the car or sit or see anything at all. There were crowds gathering left and right. Rows upon rows of white lawn chairs lined up neatly in front of City Hall, that was now draped in the biggest American Flag a child had ever seen. We found four seats in the shade off to the right and took our places, ready for the event to begin. Soon we were joined by a nice husband and wife from Long Island New York sitting right next to us. We began our conversation with Joan and Skip when a lady in front of us introduced herself. This was Barbara and her husband Glenn. Barbara was very excited to be there and without delay began telling us a story that began long long ago back in June 1944.
Barbara was the youngest child in her family. She had four brothers, all older than her and always willing to take her outside to play with them. Barbara was almost four years old in 1939 when World War II began. This is the story she told, as she exclaimed Memorial Day will always be a hard day for herself and her family.
Back in 1944, Barbara’s eldest brother, she was proud to say was one of the many American Troops to storm the beaches on Normandy for D Day June 6th, 1944. It was a successful mission that was nearly put off to June 16th. In the end, Barbara’s brother would make four trips to Normandy all of them fraught with danger as the waters had to be swept constantly for mines. On the fourth trip back, the weather was particular stormy and Barbara’s brother’s boat was hit with a mine and all the solders were killed instantly. It would be day’s before Barbara’s parents and brothers would find out, their beloved William Frank Dolan was killed in action. Furthermore, due to the turbulent scene at Normandy and a battle that was to continue for months, William Frank Dolan’s remains were never found. The family was shattered and it was a day Barbara’s mother would never forget. As Barbara told us, “she expected her son to come walking through the door for many years to come, unable to bear the thought that he was dead”. She would die many years later, still not knowing where her son was. Barbara went on to say many years later she finally took the trip to Normandy with her own family. She visited the beaches and walked the Allied grave yard wondering if they would ever find her brother. She stopped at a wall where her brother’s name, William Frank Dolan was engraved along with many other solder’s fallen on the beaches of Normandy between June and August of 1944 still waiting to be found.
The tears flew down her face, when Barbara realized this was on honor for her brother like the many others who fought so bravely and lost their lives that faithful day, in a place far far away from home. She was here to be with her brother, 50 plus years later, to remember everything he was and everything he did so that we can live the lives we have today! Barbara was crying now as she relived every moment and thanked the military who still call her every year telling her they are still looking to find her brother and working on identifying many more. A promise that will be kept when they will fly all her family members to Normandy the minute William Frank Dolan is found and identified and will receive a military burial in Normandy France along with all who fought so bravely for the allied forces. I shivered when I thought and listened to Barbara’s every word, please Lord let Barbara get her wish. She is the last surviving member of the family! Please God may William Frank Dolan who was known as “Frank” be finally found and laid to rest in Peace! I put my hand on Barbara’s shoulder and wished her well as I swore I could see a very young military man smile right behind us. That brown hair, boyish face, big smile knowing his little sister never forgot him and continues to this day to commemorate her brother the fallen solder from long ago!
William “Frank” Dolan
I will see you in Normandy one day!
That promise I will keep!