World War II Project – 1st Lt. Harold Walter Dahlberg (1916 – 1945)
 Harold Dahlberg |  Harold Dahlberg |
The following article appeared in an unknown newspaper [after November 7, 1943]:
AVIATION CADET HAROLD W. DAHLBERG
Before joining up as an Aviation Cadet Harold was employed as Aviation Mechanic at Duncan Field. He is married, and has one son, Harold Paul. His home address is 816 Austin Street, Luling, Texas. His mother, Mrs. J. E. Dahlberg resides on Route 1, near Kingsbury. Harold hasn’t done so badly for himself, as he has moved up from Private to Aviation Cadet, and that is quite an accomplishment in any Man’s Army. He is a graduate of the Prairie Lea School, and was 27 years old Nov. 7th. His present station is at Albany, Ga.
Harold Dahlberg (Bottom R) and Unknown Crew Photo
The following article appeared in the November or December 16, 1945 edition of an unknown newspaper:
1ST LIEUT. HAROLD WALTER DAHLBERG KILLED IN PLANE CRASH ON GUAM
First Lieut. Harold Walter Dahlberg was killed in a plane accident on Guam, Nov. 7, 1945, according to a telegram received this week from the acting Adjutant General of the Army, by Mrs. Dahlberg. The message stated that a letter would follow.
Lt. Dahlberg has been overseas for the past ten months, and in a letter to his wife, the former Miss Evelyn Cartwright, dated Oct. 22nd, he said that he would be leaving for home soon.
Lt. Dahlberg entered the service in February, 1943, and received his wings in Columbus, Miss., in April, 1944. He attended school in Prairie Lea, and was employed as an aviation mechanic before going into the service. His training stations were in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and California.
In addition to his wife he is survived by a little son, Paul; father, O. Z. Dahlberg of Darst Creek; mother, Mrs. J. E. Dahlberg of Kingsbury; sister, Mrs. W. W. Bingham, Luling; three brothers: Albert, San Antonio; Oscar, Raymondville; and Clifford, Ft. Worth.
According to the Brief of Aircraft Accident, Harold Dahlberg was piloting B-24M, No. 44-51874. The aircraft took off from Harmon Field, Guam at 1202Z [Zulu Time]. At 1203Z, approx. 1.5 miles SE of Harmon Field, the Consolidated B-24M Liberator crashed and exploded on impact. They were on a ferry mission from Guam to Kwajalein. Harold, 2nd Lt. James R. Rouse (Wollaston, MA), 1st Lt. Hugh M. “Billy” Branham (Chestertown, MD), S/Sgt Edmund John Hudo (Filion, MI), and 1st Lt. Bradley O. Irwin (Yuma, AZ) were all killed in the accident. 2nd Lt. Robert V. Callson (Tacoma, WA), T/Sgt Ernest J. LeBlanc (Tupper Lake, NY), T/Sgt Charles D. McLaughlin (Edwin, AL), and T/Sgt Marvin L. Hawk (South Bend, IN) all sustained injuries. The cause of the accident was unknown, but may have been due to engine failure.
The following article appeared in the January 14, 1949 edition of an unknown newspaper:
REBURIAL SERVICES SET FOR SUNDAY FOR FIRST LT. HAROLD W. DAHLBERG
The body of First Lt. Harold Walter Dahlberg, who was killed in a plane accident on Guam on November 7, 1945, will arrive in Luling Saturday afternoon and funeral services will be conducted at the First Baptist Church Sunday at 2 p. m.
Burial will be in the City Cemetery with Benton I. McCarley Post in charge of the graveside services.
Harold and Jennie Dahlberg Headstone
On July 10, 2010, I received the following message from Jennifer Danvers on Ancestry.com:
I was searching on Ancestry.com and found that you have some connection to Harold W. Dahlberg. I recently found a headstone for a Harold W. Dahlberg, born November 7, 1916, died November 7, 1945. It was a military headstone. It was behind someone’s house and had been left there by some previous resident. Are you family to Mr. Dahlberg? Do you know where he is actually buried and if his monument is missing?
I contacted Steve Dahlberg, Harold’s grand nephew, regarding the headstone. Harold’s grandson picked up the headstone and had it placed in Luling City Cemetery.
Harold Dahlberg Military Headstone
Many thanks to Gary W. Adams for posting the above photo to Find A Grave.
Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Margie (Kirkpatrick) Davis [sister of Bonnie Mae (Kirkpatrick) Dahlberg (sister-in-law of Harold Walter Dahlberg)]
Thanks for posting this. My great uncle was Hugh “Billy” Branham. I am happy to see that Lt. Dahlberg has been recognized and his military headstone properly located.
@Matt Hankins Thanks for visiting my blog and posting the comment. Your great uncle was a true hero. Is Hugh in the above crew photo? I’ve been trying to figure out where and when the picture was taken. Thanks again, Matt.
Thank you so much for posting this story! I am the person who recovered Lt. Dahlberg’s military headstone. It was behind an old farmhouse outside Taylor, Texas. No one seems to know how it ended up there. Returning the stone to Lt. Dahlberg’s grandson was a moving and beautiful experience. We all shed a tear that day. I am so happy to see the headstone alongside Lt. Dahlberg’s resting place again.
Thank you so much for posting this article and thank you Jennifer for contacting my brother Shane to bring my grandfather’s headstone to its rightful place! Lt Dahlberg was my grandfather. I grew up hearing the stories about my grandfather from my dad, but reading this article was very touching. I thank and honor my grandfather and all veterans who have fought for our great country.