CHARLES H. DOLAN
1895-1981
 
 
Charles H. Dolan
 
 
Charles H. Dolan
Collection of Ernest L. Jones
Courtesy of Wolfgang Tischer, 9-19-05
 

 
 
Charles H. Dolan
 
 
Charles Dolan
Original Drawing by J. Noetinger
By Courtesy of J. Noetinger & Pierre Dennez
 

 
 
Two EBs Retained by Senate Aviation Quiz
Col. Hartney To Aid Body

Carl Dolan Also to Help Congressional Quiz
by BOB BALL

     A sub-committee of the United States Senate, aroused by the death last May of Sen. Bronson T. Cutting in the crash of a transcontinental airliner, is now preparing for what is destined to bbe the most penetrating investigation of air transportation and allied agencies ever conducted.
     Heading the sub-committee is Sen. Royal S. Copeland (Dem.), New York, and serving with him as an investigating body will be Sen. Bennett Champ Clark (Dem.), Missouri Sen. Vic Doheny (Dem.), Ohio, Sen. Hiram Johnson )Rep.), California, and Sen. Wallace White (Rep.), Maine.
     Hearings probably won't get under way until late September and may continue for several months, according to present indications.
 
HARTNEY AT HELM
     Meanwhile, Col. Harold E. Hartney, Early Birds, war-time commander of the First Pursuit Group, and technical adviser to a dozen aeronautical enterprises, is hard at work amassing data for the committee, preparing the foundation upon which the investigation will be based.
     Essentially domestic air transport line, every Federal and private agency associated with the conduct of interstate air transportation will be scrutinized, will likewise be given opportunity to state its case and explain its practices.
 
IN SENATE LANGUAGE
     In the words of the Senate resolution authorizing the investigation:
     "The Committee on Commerce . . . is hereby directed to investigate fully and thoroughly (1) the said wreck of the airplane owned and operated by Transcontinental & Western Air, Inc. . . . (2) any other accidents or wrecks of airplanes engaged in interstate commerce in which lives have been lost . . . (3) interstate air commerce generally, the precautions and safeguards provided therein both by those engaged in it and by officials or departments of the United States Government . . . (4) the activities of those entrusted by the Government with the protection of property and life by air transportation, and the degree, adequacy and efficienty of supervision by any agency of Government including inspection and frequency thereof . . . (5) shall determine what legislation, if any, shall be adopted in the interests of safety . . . (6) and what legislation, if any, shall be adopted to prevent accidents in the air and to provide appropriate safeguards for their prevention."
     Thus, you can see EBs Hartney and Dolan are going to have their hands full for some time to come.
 
A LITTLE HISTORY
     But it won't be the first time for either of them. After attending two universities in Canada from 1907 to 1914 (and being graduated from both), Hartney became a full fledged lawyer.
     Then came the war. In October, 1915, he joined the Royal Flying Corps., after two years became a captain and received the Italian Silver Medal for Valor.
     In September of 1917 he transferred to the American Air Service with the rank of major. He organized, trained and took to the front the 27th Aero Squadron, was promoted to Group Commander, First Pursuit Group, Aug. 21, 1918. Transfers and what not after the Armistice brought him back to the chief's office as a lieutenant-colonel.
     Since then Col. Hartney has dabbled in a dozen aviation outfits, was one of the organizer of the National Aeronautic Association and was its first general manager. And now this.
 
DOLAN PROFICIENT
     Carl Dolan, after a glamorous record overseas and back on this side again, first came to this correspondent's attention while, as operations manager of Eastern Air Transport, he had all the other lines looking over his shoulder to see how he did it.
     A change of management and a change of jobs and Carl ended up last winter as special investigator for the Postoffice Department in which position he dug up enough information to make some of the air lines wish they hadn't when they came before the Interstate Commerce Commission to petition for higher air mail rates. That job whetted his appetite for what is to come. And Carl intends to prove that capitalization of some of the companies may be affecting their safety standards.
     Two EBs determined to do one fine job---that's the picture in a sub-basement room of the Capitol. And when the aforementioned Senators get their names and faces in the newspapers, you'll know who are making it possible.
from CHIRP, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1935, DETROIT MICHI.
courtesy of Steve Remington - CollectAir
 

 
 
Carl Dolan
 
 
AUTOGRAPHED AIR MAIL COVER
     This cover which originated from the GARDNER TROPHY AIR RACES, PARK 5 AIRPORT, EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS, MAY 28-30, 1929 and was signed by EB Frank Bryant, is postmarked EAST SAINT LOUIS, MAY 30, 1929
It has been donated through the courtesy of Stéphane Sebile.
 

 
 
 
  L'Aviation Française
des Hommes et des Ailes

The last American pilot
who belonged to the La Fayette Escadrille
has just died

Charles H. Dolan, who was the last survivor of famous La Fayette Escadrille, made up of American volunteers before the entry into the war by the United States, died on December 31, 1981 in Honolulu, where he resided with his wife.
Born on January 29, 1895 in Boston, he was in France on August 11, 1916. He graduated as a pilot from the Blériot School in March 1917, and practiced flying in Avord, Pau and Cazaux. He joined the La Fayette Escadrille on May 12, 1917 as a sergeant and fought until the end of the war. He earned two official victories, and eight probable. He was also awarded the Military Cross, the Legion of Honor and several American decorations.
After the war, demobilized, he spent several years in China where he established the first flying school and the first postal and commercial.air lines Upon his return to Honolulu, he played a significant role in the establishment of the aerodromes and the development of air traffic in the Hawaiian Islands. Charles H. Dolan had come to Paris in November 1981 at the time of the " Gathering of the Aces of the First World War " , At that time he visited the Museum of the Air and attended various ceremonies. He had the great joy of making the return crossing of the Atlantic in the Concorde on November 12, last...
J. NOETINGER. .
Air & Cosmos n° 889 of January 9, 1982
L'Aviation Française
I translated this article from the French,
(with the help of the Alta Vista translation machine,)
which I found on the website of L'Aviation Française.
If you read French and prefer the article in its orginal form
just click on:
L'Aviation Française
 

 
 
Editor's Note:
If you have any additional information on this Early Bird,
please contact me.
E-mail to Ralph Cooper

 
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