Chief Dunlea was born on 13 October 19211 in Fall River, Massachusetts and entered naval service in September 1942. He attended school in Cheltenham, Maryland from February 1943 until May of that year. His duty stations included NAVCOMSTA Chatham, Massachusetts, Adak, Wahiawa, Winter Harbor, Maine, Yokosuka, Kami Seya Japan, NSG Headquarters in Washington DC, Naples Italy, NAVCOMSTA GUAM, Skaggs Island California, Midway Island, Clark Air Base Philippines after which he returned to NSG Headquarters.