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Sergeant Dolores Helen Katashuk Ames

Dolores Katashuk in a white Army dress uniform, looking right.
  • Unit: Women’s Army Corps, 7795th Signal Supply Control Agency
  • Date of Birth: August 16, 1930
  • Entered the Military: April 28, 1949
  • Date of Death: December 24, 1991
  • Hometown: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
  • Place of Death: Fairfax, Virginia
  • Award(s): Good Conduct Medal, Army of Occupation Medal
  • Cemetery: section 10, site 390. National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico, Quantico, Virginia
Contributed by Megan Brannigan, Lillian Peshek, and Madison Wood
Mentored by Mr. Leif Liberg
Saint Mary’s Ryken High School
2024/2025

Early Life

Dolores Helen Katashuk was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on August 16, 1930. Her father, Nicholas, came from a Belarusian family. They immigrated to the United States from modern-day Poland when he was an infant. As an adult, he worked as a laborer and coal mine foreman. Her mother, Helen, was a homemaker. The couple started a family and welcomed six children—Nicholas, Dolores, Alberta, Robert, Lorraine, and Josephine—into the world. Sadly, Josephine passed away as an infant.

Community Involvement

Katashuk’s early life was influenced by involvement in the Catholic Church. She attended Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, and became involved in the Junior Catholic Daughters of America (JCDA). She honed her leadership skills, serving as a counselor with JCDA. She also developed a talent for singing, and participated in minstrel shows held at the church. Her religious faith and gift for entertaining others became major parts of her life. 

Education and Employment

Though Katashuk’s parents had not received formal education beyond elementary school, she earned a high school diploma. She graduated from Coughlin High School in 1948 and took a job as a condenser tester at Telo Radio in Wilkes-Barre. She remained there until she joined the U.S. Army.

Formal portrait of Dolores Ames. Courtesy of Sandra Richmond.
A local newspaper noted Dolores Katashuk’s contribution to a show put on by the church.  Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, December 15, 1937.

Homefront

Located in northeastern Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barre is situated approximately 90 miles from Philadelphia and 100 miles from New York City. 

Its growth was heavily influenced by the abundance of anthracite coal in the area. Mining became a major industry for much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Because of the need for labor in the coal industry, the area also became a magnet for European immigration during this time. 

The abundance of coal made the area particularly important during World War II. The coal was used to fuel trains and critical war industries. Labor unions sometimes used this as leverage to help them gain better working conditions during bargaining and strikes.

The area was also home to iron, steel, tobacco, and textile mills. At one point it boasted being the largest silk producer in the country. Other claims to fame included being the headquarters of Planter’s Peanuts until 1961.

A Unique Political Connection

Politically, the area was represented by Democrats for much of Katashuk’s youth. This included Veronica Boland, the first female representative from Pennsylvania in the U.S. Congress. 

A Changing Wilkes-Barre

As Katashuk came of age in the years after World War II, the area changed. Coal mining declined due to labor unrest, mine closures, and the availability of other energy sources. The area’s population waned. The Wilkes-Barre where Katashuk grew up slowly became a thing of the past.

A modern-day map showing abandoned coal mines in Pennsylvania. Note the heavy concentration around Wilkes-Barre. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, June 18, 2013.
A newspaper article illustrating the tension between the government and unionized coal miners during World War II. The Wilkes-Barre Record, April 30, 1943.

Military Experience

On April 28, 1949, Katashuk enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). She received basic training at Fort Lee, Virginia (now Fort Gregg-Adams). Katashuk trained as a typist through the United States Armed Forces Institute in preparation for serving as a clerk. A devout Catholic, Katashuk voluntarily completed training with the Chaplain Corps to lead Catholic youth programs. 

Active Duty

Following initial training, Katashuk received orders to join the Provisional WAC Detachment at William Beaumont Hospital in El Paso, Texas. She later served with American occupation forces in Germany with the 7795th Signal Supply Control Agency. As part of this unit, Katashuk maintained records related to communications equipment used by U.S. troops. 

Katashuk’s skill and leadership abilities were noted by her superiors. She was promoted several times, and became a sergeant. She also earned the Good Conduct Medal, as well as the Army of Occupation Medal.   

Following her time overseas, Katashuk returned home to the U.S. She was discharged on September 17, 1952 at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Certificate recognizing Dolores Katashuk’s completion of basic training with the Women’s Army Corps, July 1, 1949. Courtesy of Sandra Richmond.
Dolores Katashuk in uniform with future husband, Richard Ames, before her discharge from the Army. Courtesy of Sandra Richmond.

Veteran Experience

During her time in the Army, Dolores met Richard Ames. Mr. Ames was a fellow soldier who worked alongside her. The two fell in love and married on June 6, 1953. 

Mr. Ames remained on active duty, and the couple traveled wherever the Army sent them. They lived in the Philippines, Germany, Hong Kong, and Africa. They had two daughters, Helyn and Sandie. They also adopted their son, Mark, from the Philippines. After Mr. Ames’ discharge in 1968, the family settled in northern Virginia.   

Faith and Friendship

Church and community were hallmarks of Dolores Ames’s life wherever the family lived. She volunteered extensively at Saint James Catholic Church in Falls Church, Virginia, and Saint Leo the Great in Fairfax, Virginia as a CCD teacher. She also participated in pilgrimages overseas to places like Lourdes, France. 

The Ames home became a place for friends and neighbors to gather. Music, entertainment, and good food—notably Mrs. Ames’s perogies and bread—were highlights. Neighborhood children were always welcome. The Ames family fostered more than a dozen youth over the years.

Dolores and Richard Ames on their wedding day, June 6, 1953. Courtesy of Sandra Richmond.

Commemoration

Dolores Ames passed away after a battle with cancer on December 24, 1991, in Fairfax, Virginia. She was laid to rest beside fellow servicemembers at the National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico, in Quantico, Virginia. As a soldier, matriarch, and friend, Sergeant Ames left an enduring legacy of faith and service to others.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

“3 High Schools to Award Diplomas to 935.” Wilkes-Barre Record, June 2, 1948. Newspapers.com (106068166). 

“5 More Companies Cut Oil Prices.” The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, March 31, 1954. Newspapers.com (416468991).

“4,903 Miners and 3,686 Laborers Needed if Hard Coal is to Meet 1943 Goal.” The Wilkes-Barre Record, December 28, 1942. Newspapers.com (106037137). 

Abandoned Mine Land Problems By Field Office. Map. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/Mining/Abandoned%20Mine%20Reclamation/AbandonedMinePortalFiles/AMLProgramInformation/AbandonedMineLandProblems.pdf.   

Ames Family Photographs. c.1945-1953. Courtesy of Sandra Richmond.  

Ames Family Records. 1948-1952. Courtesy of Sandra Richmond.

Dolores Ames. Virginia, Marriages, 1936-2014. https://ancestryclassroom.com. 

Dolores H. Ames. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. https://ancestryclassroom.com.   

Dolores H. Ames. U.S. Veterans’ Gravesites, 1775-2019. https://ancestryclassroom.com. 

Dolores H Katashuk. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Luzerne, Clerk of Orphans’ Courts: Application for Marriage License. https://ancestryclassroom.com.  

Dolores Helen Katashuk, Discharge Order, Department of the Army. National Archives and Records Administration – St. Louis.

“Oil Imports Seen As Security Threat.” The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, May 12, 1953. Newspapers.com (416422181). 

Pennsylvania. Luzerne County. 1940 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestryclasroom.com. 

Richmond, Sandie. Zoom interview with the authors. October 21, 2024. 

“Roosevelt and Lewis Seen Set for Showdown.” The Wilkes-Barre Record, April 30, 1943. Newspapers.com (106036053). 

Texas. El Paso County. 1950 U.S. Census. Digital images. http://ancestryclasroom.com. 

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1931. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1931.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1932. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1932.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1933. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1933.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1934. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1934.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1935. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1935.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1936. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1936.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1937. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1937.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1938. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1938.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1939. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1939.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1940. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1940.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1941. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1941.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1942. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1942.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1943. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1943.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1944. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1944.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1945. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1945.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1946. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1946.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1947. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1947.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1948. Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1948.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1949.  Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1949.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1950.  Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1950.

Wilkes Barre Record Almanac, 1951.  Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co., 1951.

Secondary Sources

“Dolores H. Ames.” National Cemetery Administration. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov.  

“Dolores H. Ames.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/DOLORESHAMES/95F3FF2. 

“Helen Mesarch Katashuk.” Find a Grave. Accessed September 23, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/257698201/helen_katashuk.  

“Historical List of Members of Congress.” GovTrack.us. Accessed October 25, 2024. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/all#sort=first_took_office&all_role_types=2&all_role_states=PA&all_role_districts=PA-11.  

Lewis, Ed. “Look Back: Ashley building produced ammunition, cigars and clothes.” Times Leader, May 1,2022. https://www.timesleader.com/news/1553653/look-back-ashley-building-produced-ammunition-cigars-and-clothes. 

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.