DOB/DOD: April 16, 1904 (Calvin, WV) – March 19, 1944; 39 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married Myrtle Arlene Swan (1912-1988) on June 5, 1928, in New London. Myrtle later married Perley J. Stevens (1886-1958) in 1948 and George R. McKay (1921-1985) in 1966.
CHILDREN: Two daughters, Joan C. “Jo” Hinkle Dayton Pementil (1930-2008) and Jean D. Hinkle Mellor (1933-2006). Two sons, John J. III (1929-2005) and James (1935-2015).
LOCAL ADDRESS: 210 Howard and 84 Maple Avenue, New London
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-360515
FAMILY: Born to John J. (1881-1962) and Eva M. Breeden Hinkle (1886-1959). Four brothers, William A. [Army; 1932-1953] (1907-1995), Arnold L. [Army; KIA in WWII] (1909-1944), Francis E. [Air Force] (1926-2008), and John Jr. (1930-). Four sisters, Ellen A Hinkle Hozyan (1911-1982), Arless W. Hinkle Riley (1914-1956), Audrey J. Hinkle Tull Chase (1916-1998), and Lena E. Hinkle Ross (1922-2005).
Photo from Calvin Mellor
CIRCUMSTANCES: The S.S. John A. Poor was hit by two torpedoes from German U-Boat U-510 in the Arabian Sea. The first torpedo struck on the starboard side between #4 and #5 holds. The explosion blew off the #4 hatch cover and created a hole about 12 feet in diameter in the deck. The second struck in the #5 hold. The vessel immediately listed to starboard and settled rapidly, sinking within two minutes. Nearly half of the eight officers, 35 crewmen, and 30 armed guards went down with the ship, including the master. One officer, 17 crewmen, and 21 armed guards reached three rafts, lashed them together, and rigged a sail.
The fate of submarine U-510
Surrendered on May 9, 1945, at St. Nazaire, France. Unseaworthy. Became the French submarine Bouan. Stricken May 1, 1959, as Q176. Broken up in 1960.
Testimony from Calvin Mellor
From what I know – the Navy and the Department of War provided for the families of Navy Sailors killed in WWII, but no one provided for the families left behind by our Merchant Marine.
I don’t believe they received a pension or any other benefits at the time.
When Alburn was killed, the Hinkle family was left in poverty. My mother told me how she could not go to school because she didn’t have a pair of shoes. Eventually, the Salvation Army gave her a pair of shoes so she could attend school.
After Alburn’s death, my grandmother, Myrtle, could not provide for her four children. My mother, Jean, was eventually placed with a foster family.
Her older sister, my Aunt Joan “Jo”, told me that at one time the only food they had in the house was a single box of spaghetti.
Those were tough times that they never forgot.
Memorialized on the WWII Monument, Broad and Williams Street, New London, Connecticut
