Maj. Gen. John Dolny was a U.S. Army Air Force veteran of World War II who was highly decorated and was a member of the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame.
- Died: April 13, 2020 (Who else died on April 13?)
- Details of death: Died in Phoenix after surgery for a broken femur at the age of 99.
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Military career
Dolny enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, flying a fighter bomber in North Africa and Italy during his first tour of duty. He was shot down and injured, but he returned for a second tour, commanding a squadron and ultimately earning a Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with clusters, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and a French Croix de Guerre with silver Star. After the war, Dolny briefly returned to civilian life but soon returned to the military, enlisting in the Air National Guard and serving his career there. He became a Colonel and served in the Korean War, then was promoted to Brigadier General, serving during the Berlin Crisis and the Vietnam War. He was promoted to Major General before his retirement in 1981. Dolny was partially responsible for the creation of the Air National Guard’s airlift missions. He was inducted into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988.
What people said about him
Full obituary: Pioneer Press
