The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1945-11-01
MEMORIAL FOR
LIEUT.. DICNAN
IS SATURDAY
Mass in Memory Will Be Held
at 8 A. Nj. i'm st.
Raphael's

A memorial mass for Lieut..
George j. Dignan, 20, of Glasgow
fighter pilot who has been missing
since his carrier, the Bismarck Sea,
was sunk last Feb. 81 in Japanese
waters, will be conducted in st.
Raphael'S Catholic church at 8 Sat
urday morning. Lieutenant Dig
nan, a native of Glasgow, was exec
utive officer in charge of his squad
ron of Wildcat fighter plane and
bomber pilots.
Letters received from fellow of
Ulcers state that Lieutenant Dignan,
wearing his life vest, was seen to
Jump in the water from the flam-
ing ship. He was not seen again
and hope has been given up that he
survived. The sea was rough and
cold at the time and a number of
men were killed while in the water
by shrapnel OF flying debris. More
than one-third the men aboard the
carrier were killed or are missing.
A letter from Capt. j. L. Pratt.
commanding officer, states the car
rier was operating near Two Jima
when the attack came. He adds in
the letter to Mrs. Dignan, Your
husband was one of the finest Of
ficers in the Bismarck Sea. We had
many dealings together and I knew
him well. His ability and pleasant
personality made him one of our
key officers and his administration
of the fighter pilots was of great
assistance to me and contributed
to the success of the squadron as a
whole in the tremendous damage to
the Japs."
Before his death, Lieutenant Dig
nan shared with two other pilots
In shooting down a japanese fighter
plane. He also rocketed a railroad
and destroyed eight large
tanks. Bismarck Sea planes
had completed almost 1000 combat
missions and provided support for
in the invasions of Leyte,
.uzon and Two Jima.
Captain Pratt adds that he read
he navy burial service for Lieu
Dignan while still in the
lrea, which was searched carefully
Ill night and the following day for
survivors.
Concluding his letter, the COM
nander states, His loss was a per-
ional one TO me also. His cooperation
vas of great satisfaction and con-
'idence to me and, as you well know
one could not help but like him
thoroughly"
Lieutenant Dignan was born in
Glasgow, Feb. IL, 1916, the son of
he late Thomas Dignan ST., and of
Mrs. Mary E. Dignan. He attended
ocal schools and graduated from
Glasgow high school in 1884. He
attended College of st. Thomas in
st. Paul for two years, then entered
Montana State university at Mis-
oula, from which he graduated in
$40.
He enlisted in the navy in Feb
uary. 1871, and was ordered to re-
,ort at Seattle in April that year.
lie was stationed for a time at
jacksonville. Fla, then at Corpus
Texas. He was commits
toned an ensign Dec. l6. l941, and
eceived his wings as naval aviator
t Corpus Christi. March 30. 1912.
subsequently he was promoted to
.eutenant. junior grade, then to a
I'LL lieutenancy.
The navy flier was married to
ieorgia Reckert in Glasgow, Dec.
1912. He was then serving as
Instructor at Corpus Christi. He
as ordered to the west coast in
anuary, 1874, and left the United
tates the following Oct. IS.
Surviving him are his widow, one
On. George John; his mother. who
YES in Glasgow: his brother. q.
homas Dignan Jr. of Glasgow. and
yo sisters. Margaret Dignan of
Washington, d. c., and Capt. Helen
ignan of Fort Worth. Texas.