Harold Evans Dahl
Encyclopedia
Harold Edward Dahl was a mercenary American
pilot who fought in the Spanish Republican Air Force
during the Spanish Civil War
. He was a member of the "American Patrol" of the Andres Garcia La Calle
group. He was nicknamed "Whitey" due to his very blond hair.
, he graduated from flying school at Kelly Field on 28 February 1933 and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps
as a Second Lieutenant. His commission ended in 1936 due to gambling and subsequent court convictions. He then became a commercial pilot, but again gambling forced him to escape to Mexico
. He was flying charter and cargo flights carrying material for the Second Spanish Republic
, as Mexico was one of the very few distant countries to support the Spanish government. He was told about the good salary paid for mercenary pilots and so he joined Spain under the name of Hernando Diaz Evans, Evans being his mother's maiden name. He reported nine kills in this unit, though only five were ever confirmed.
During the reorganization of the Fighter Squadrons in May 1937, Dahl was posted to a squadron with a large variety of nationalities. Frank Glasgow Tinker
said that this made it very hard for a pilot to coordinate his place in the group during fighting. It seems that this was the case on June 13 of that year, where he was surprised by enemy planes and was shot down and taken prisoner.
Initially sentenced to death, there were some diplomatic movements to free him. His first wife Edith Rogers
, a known singer of impressive beauty, was said to have visited Francisco Franco
himself to plead for his life. This story later became the basis of the 1940 movie Arise, My Love
. He stayed in prison until 1940 and then returned to the U.S. After he and Edith Rogers divorced, he accepted another mercenary job, this time with the Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF) and served during World War II
where he trained RCAF pilots for combat in Europe at an airfield near Belleville, Ontario
. It was here that he met his second wife Eleanor Bowne, the daughter of the richest man in Belleville. After the war, he was accused of stealing equipment from the air force that had been decommissioned.
Around 1951, he joined Swissair
and stayed in Switzerland
but in 1953 he was caught smuggling gold with his girlfriend and was expelled from the country, an event that compelled his second wife to divorce him. Back in Canada, he became a cargo pilot flying DC-3s when on 14 February 1956 he was killed during a crash in bad weather.
Harold Edward Dahl was survived by his three children by his second wife Eleanor:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pilot who fought in the Spanish Republican Air Force
Spanish Republican Air Force
The Spanish Republican Air Force, , was the air arm of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939...
during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. He was a member of the "American Patrol" of the Andres Garcia La Calle
Andres Garcia La Calle
Andrés García La Calle was the squadron leader of the 1st fighter squadron of the Spanish Republic and later Commander of all the fighter units of the Spanish Republican Air Force during the Spanish Civil War.Born in Sestao , in Spain, he started his career in 1929 as an NCO...
group. He was nicknamed "Whitey" due to his very blond hair.
Biography
Born in Champaign, IllinoisChampaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
, he graduated from flying school at Kelly Field on 28 February 1933 and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
as a Second Lieutenant. His commission ended in 1936 due to gambling and subsequent court convictions. He then became a commercial pilot, but again gambling forced him to escape to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. He was flying charter and cargo flights carrying material for the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
, as Mexico was one of the very few distant countries to support the Spanish government. He was told about the good salary paid for mercenary pilots and so he joined Spain under the name of Hernando Diaz Evans, Evans being his mother's maiden name. He reported nine kills in this unit, though only five were ever confirmed.
During the reorganization of the Fighter Squadrons in May 1937, Dahl was posted to a squadron with a large variety of nationalities. Frank Glasgow Tinker
Frank Glasgow Tinker
Frank Glasgow Tinker was an American mercenary fighter pilot for the Spanish Republican Air Force, during the Spanish Civil War. He was the top American ace during the Spanish Civil War.-Early years:...
said that this made it very hard for a pilot to coordinate his place in the group during fighting. It seems that this was the case on June 13 of that year, where he was surprised by enemy planes and was shot down and taken prisoner.
Initially sentenced to death, there were some diplomatic movements to free him. His first wife Edith Rogers
Edith Rogers
Edith Rogers may refer to:* Edith Rogers , member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, 1935–1940* Edith Rogers , member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, 1920–1932* Edith Nourse Rogers, U.S. politician...
, a known singer of impressive beauty, was said to have visited Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
himself to plead for his life. This story later became the basis of the 1940 movie Arise, My Love
Arise, My Love
Arise, My Love is a 1940 American romantic comedy film made by Paramount Pictures, directed by Mitchell Leisen, written by Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett and Jacques Théry, and starring Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland....
. He stayed in prison until 1940 and then returned to the U.S. After he and Edith Rogers divorced, he accepted another mercenary job, this time with the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
(RCAF) and served during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
where he trained RCAF pilots for combat in Europe at an airfield near Belleville, Ontario
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
. It was here that he met his second wife Eleanor Bowne, the daughter of the richest man in Belleville. After the war, he was accused of stealing equipment from the air force that had been decommissioned.
Around 1951, he joined Swissair
Swissair
Swissair AG was the former national airline of Switzerland.It was formed from a merger between Balair and Ad Astra Aero , in 1931...
and stayed in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
but in 1953 he was caught smuggling gold with his girlfriend and was expelled from the country, an event that compelled his second wife to divorce him. Back in Canada, he became a cargo pilot flying DC-3s when on 14 February 1956 he was killed during a crash in bad weather.
Harold Edward Dahl was survived by his three children by his second wife Eleanor:
- Jim Dahl
- Stevie CameronStevie CameronStevie Cameron is an award-winning Canadian investigative journalist and best-selling author. Born in Belleville, Ontario in 1943, she now lives in Toronto with her husband, David Cameron, a professor at the University of Toronto. They have two daughters; both Toronto-based screenwriters.-Early...
- Chris Dahl