Stories Behind The Stars
A series that honors more than 421,000 Americans that lost their lives in World War II.
Fallen soldiers from Lafayette County are currently being highlighted in the Monroe Times. For Green County, see the archives at
www.themonroetimes.com
To learn more about the project, visit storiesbehindthestars.org.
By Krista Finstad Hanson
For the Times
During World War II, 398th Bombardment Group of the 601st Bombardment Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps activated for service at Ephrata Army Air Base in Washington in 1943.
They went to England in April of 1944. The group flew bombing missions on B-17s over Germany beginning in May of 1944. They supported Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and Operation Varsity. They flew their last mission in April of 1945 in Czechoslovakia. After V-E Day on May 8, 1945, they transported prisoners of war after they were released. The squadron inactivated in August of 1945.
Lafayette County pilot, Paul E. Doyle served with the 398th Bombardment Group of the 601st Bombardment Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Paul Eugene Doyle was born May 27, 1921 in Lafayette County, Wisconsin to Joseph and Johanna (Morrissey) Doyle.
From the 1930 U.S. Census, the Doyle family lived in Shullsburg in Lafayette County. Father Joseph, Josephine, and children Charles, and Eugene. Father Joseph was a proprietor of a grocery store.
From the 1940 U.S. Census, the family lived in the same house they lived in 1935. Eugene had two years of college. Father Joseph was a proprietor of a grocery store. Son Charles was a retail helper in a grocer store for paid wages.
On Feb. 15, 1942, Paul Eugene Doyle registered for the WWII Draft. His residence was Shullsburg in Lafayette County. He was 20 and was born on May 27, 1921 in Shullsburg. His next of kin was Joseph Doyle. Paul was student at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.
On Feb. 21, 1943, Doyle enlisted for service in WWII in Chicago. He had four years of college. His civilian occupation was “clerks in trade.” He was a private in the Air Corps Reserves.
Doyle was a co-pilot on the B-17 plane #42-102565 called “The Ugly Duckling”: The plane did not return from a mission to Misburg on Nov. 26, 1944. The plane was on a mission to bomb the Deulag oil refinery in Misburg, Germany.
The crew included:
● First Lieutenant, Benjamin G. Rolfe, Pilot
● 2nd Lieutenant Paul E. Doyle, co-pilot
● 2nd Lieutenant Vernon D. Anderson, Navigator
● Sergeant Richard Rimmer, Bombardier
● Sergeant Joseph M. Price, Top Turret
● Sergeant Frank Iaconis, Radio operator
● Sergeant James B. Coulson, Ball turret gunner
● Sergeant Arthur Schmidt, waist gunner
● Sergeant Thomas Pozder, tail gunner
From the National WWII Memorial Registry, Paul E. Doyle was honored by John Meurs. He wrote, “His B-17 ‘Ugly Duckling’ Serial Number 42-102565. Crashed in Ijssel Lake, former Zuider Zee, Netherlands, on Sunday, November 26, 1944 after a mission to the synthetic fuel plan in Misburg, Germany. The bomber was hit by flak over Zwolle, Netherlands. The whole crew bailed out safely but perished in the ice cold water of the lake. He washed ashore four months later near Urk, a fishing harbor in the Netherlands and was buried there on June 9, 1945 in the municipal cemetery. At a later stage he was re-interred in the American Military Cemetery in Nueville-En-Condroz in Belgium.”
From the Jan. 10, 1945 Grant County Herald there was a notice that “Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Doyle, Shullsburg, received a wire from the War Department, Friday, stating that their son, Lt. Paul Eugene, Doyle is missing in action over Germany since Nov. 26. He was a pilot on a B-17 bomber. He was the fourth Shullsburg boy to be reported missing.”
From the Aug. 9, 1945 Platteville Journal and Grant County News notice that “Saddening news Thursday brought Shullsburg its sixth World War II casualty when a telegram was received by Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Doyle from the War Department stating that their son, Lieut. Paul Eugene Doyle, who had been reported missing November 26, 1944 was killed in action over Holland on that date.”
Doyle is on the Honor Roll List with the National Archives for Lafayette County.
Second Lt. Paul E. Doyle was re-buried in St. Matthews Cemetery in Shullsburg, likely in 1949. Doyle received the Purple Heart and the Air Medal, awarded posthumously.
Thank you, Second Lieutenant Paul Eugene Doyle, for your service to and ultimate sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.
