Hendrik Dolleman

U.S. Army

Dog Driver

Biography:

Born March 20, 1905, in Deventer, Netherlands, Hendrik Dolleman immigrated to the United States with his family when he was eleven years old. The Dollemans settled in Manchester, New Hampshire, where Dolleman would eventually work as a cigarmaker at the R.G. Sullivan Cigar Factory.

Dolleman became a U.S. citizen at the age of 21 and joined the army. As a member of the USAS expedition, Dolleman served as a dog driver. In December 1940, Dolleman accompanied scientist Herwil Bryant on a week-long sledge trip to Lagotellerie Island. They camped near a rookery of Adelie penguins, collected specimens, and observed penguin behavior.

After his return from Antarctica, Dolleman was assigned to duty in Greenland where Army Air Force aircraft refueled enroute to England. Dolleman participated in multiple rescues of crewmembers of downed aircraft, one of which was the B-17, “My Gal Sal”, in 1942. Joseph Healy, veteran of the Byrd II Expedition and USAS expedition, served with Dolleman under the command of Colonel Berndt Balchen, famed polar aviator. Dolleman won the Soldier’s Medal with an oak leaf cluster for his participation in polar rescue missions.

Dolleman and Frances Fischer married later in life and had no children. Hendrik Dolleman died in Manchester, New Hampshire, on September 8, 1990.

Antarctic Service Medal: Gold

Geographical Feature: Dolleman Island

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