James Dowling Sacrifice

Sacrifice is giving up something, in order to aid somebody or something. Sacrifice is an act which is sometimes inevitable. An example of inevitable sacrifice is when a citizen gets drafted into war. James Dowling’s life is the epitome of sacrifice, both in battle and civilian life. James Dowling lost his parents when he was young and was taken in by the Conklins. They grew up during the Great Depression. Both the parents worked assiduously to avoid bankruptcy. As James was growing up, he became interested in aviation. “So when war broke out and James was drafted in 1943, at age nineteen, he immediately volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps” (47 Brokaw). This quote shows Dowling’s sacrifice in battle because he put his life on the line in order to protect his country and loved ones. During his time in war, he was leading bombing raids over Germany and was the lead bombardier-navigator (47 Brokaw). …show more content…
He would eventually make several sacrifices for his family and community. One of his greater sacrifices was when he ran for superintendent of highways. When he assumed the position he took on a great sacrifice. James had to develop new and improved roads for Smithtown. He did not have to accept this position, but he did so because of the values he was taught as a child. “Anyone who went through the Depression understood what a dollar was and what it meant to find work” (52 Brokaw). This quote shows that James’ desire to sacrifice so much was due to how much his parents sacrificed for