On 06/26/1953, at approximately 9:30 p.m., William G. Dolan, age 27, attempted to swim across the 300-foot channel that connects Sodus Bay to Lake Ontario. Witnesses observed Dolan disappear under the water in Sodus Bay, approximately halfway across the channel and not resurface. An extensive search in the following days for Dolan by the US Coast Guard, New York State Police and Sodus Point Fire Department had negative results. Dolan was an Airman First Class in the United States Air Force at the time, assigned to the Sampson Air Force Base.