Loading
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 >
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 >
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) >
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) >
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) >
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) >
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) >
Registration ARC
to the UK
Landing on Utah Beach
Siegfriedlinie
Died on pleasure flight
Buried in Margraten, Block RR, Row 12 Grave 290
Air Evac. Nurse diploma
Married
Body washed up
Panama
To Europa
Departure for Europa
Arriving in England
Landing Omaha Beach
Nazi Germany declares war on the US
Battle of Stalingrad: Red Army defeats Germans
Name: | Dorothy Jane Burdge |
Born: | August 14, 1915 |
Died: | May 1, 1945, 29 jaar |
Rank & Military Component: | American Red Cross |
Cemetary: | Block B, Row 7, Grave 4 |
In World War II the US military asked the American
Dorothy Jane Burdge survived for 9 and a half months behind the front line, and died in tragic circumstances on May 1, 1945 during a pleasure flight.
De Clubmobiles were service clubs on wheels. In each Clubmobile there were three American girls. Clubmobiles traveled in the rear of an army corps and gave out free coffee, donuts, gum and cigarettes to the soldiers returning from the front.
One journalist described the Red Cross girls in 1943 as 'the loveliest Army that has ever visited England'.
Dorothy Jane and Grace were assigned to one of the 10 Clubmobile Groups, Group 'F'. Each group consisted of 32 girls, 8 Clubmobiles, a Cinemobile, three supply trucks, two British Hillman-pick-up trucks and a jeep for the team leader. The Clubmobile where the 2 sisters worked was nicknamed "Atlanta".