American Red Cross
juli 1943
For their Clubmobiles The American Red Cross wanted to recruit skilled and attractive
‘all-American girls’ between 25 and 35 years with work experience and in good health. Dorothy Jane and her sister Grace volunteered midway through the war as volunteers.
Read the story: overview >
Departure for Europe
September 1943
Dorothy and her sister Grace followed a short training at the ARC. Then - in September 1943 - they left for Britain. They were assigned to Group F van de Clubmobiles. Their Clubmobile was named 'Atlanta’.
Read the story: resources >
Landing on Utah Beach
July 16, 1944
Dorothy Jane Burdge lands along with the other 'girls' of the American Red Cross Clubmobiles, Group F, on Utah Beach, 40 days after D-Day.From here her Clubmobile folllowed the VIII Corps.
See Dorothy's Combat route (1) >
Escaped from Bastogne
December 16, 1944, Bastogne
On december 16 F-Group was attacked by surprise during the Battle of the Bulge (German 'Ardennenoffensief' and four Clubmobiles just managed to escape before Bastogne was surrounded.The return trip takes them through the now well-known places in this offensive: St. Vith and Vielsalm.
See Dorothy's Combat route (2) >
Germany,
Siegfriedlinie, March 15, 1945
On March 15, 1945, the F-Group of the Red Cross Clubmobiles passed the German Siegfriedlinie and 10 days later they crossed the Moselle, and then crossed the Rhine at Koblenz. The march progressed rapidly.
See Dorothy's Combat route (3) >
The accident
Altenburg, May 1, 1945
During a rest period 1st Lieutenant Lee A. Branch makes 'round trips' with a captured Arado 96 plane. The Clubmobile girls are invited for a ride. Grace made the first flight, followed by Dorothy. And that went fatally wrong ...
See Dorothy's Combat route (4) >
Buried in Margraten
June 19, 1945
On May 4, 1945 Dorothy Jane was buried in Eisenach, Germany. A month later, she was transferred to the American cemetery in Margraten.
See Dorothy's Combat route (5) >
July 1943 (?)
Registration ARC
September 1943
to the UK
July 16, 1944
Landing on Utah Beach
March 15, 1945
Siegfriedlinie
May 1, 1945
Died on pleasure flight
June 19, 1945
Buried in Margraten, Block RR, Row 12 Grave 290
February 18, 1943
Air Evac. Nurse diploma
Jan. 15, 1944
Married
July 26, 1943
Body washed up
March - Augus 1943
Panama
June 1944
To Europa
November 23, 1943
Departure for Europa
January 20, 1944
Arriving in England
June 1944
Landing Omaha Beach
US enters the war
December 11, 1941
Nazi Germany declares war on the US
Turnaround WWII
Februari 2, 1943
Battle of Stalingrad: Red Army defeats Germans
Memories of
Dorothy
Gretchen Schuyler
Team Leader Clubmobile Group F
She reported that after Dorothy Jane's death:
"Jane's dog tags were handed over to the Graves Registration Service of the 6th Armored Division Her funeral will take place at the American cemetery in Eisenach, Germany. Grace Burdge has taken Jane's personal belongings.
It is with great sadness that I need to make this report. Jane was one of the best overseas American Red Cross girls. She was well-liked by all who had the good fortune to know her. She was a perfect ARC Clubmobile girl as she was enthusiastic and happy-go-lucky and this made her many friends. Unfortunately, these characterisitcs also caused her premature death".
Liz Richardson
Red Cross volunteer
Red Cross volunteer Liz Richardson remembers her time as aRed Cross girl as:
"I consider myself fortunate to be in Clubmobile - can't conceive of anything else. It's a rugged and irregular and weird life, but it's wonderful. That is, as wonderful as anything can be under the circumstances."
A Clubmobile-girl wrote after the war:
'Donuts and coffee were our props. A chat or a dance with one of the girls was for the soldiers a welcome distraction from the fighting."