Private First Class Dowling was a Light Weapons Infantryman with Company D, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 8 October 1950.

Dowling was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, 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.