Private First Class Dowling was a medic with the Medical Company, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while tending his wounded comrades in South Korea on 12 July 1950, forced to march to North Korea on the "Tiger Death March", and was killed by a guard at Manpo, North Korea on 15 October 1950. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Dowling was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Medical Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.