DOB/DOD: February 29, 1920 (New Haven, CT) – July 9, 1943; 23 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: North Branford
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-380200
FAMILY: Born to Martin V. (1885-1971) and Katherine Chigir Panko (1895-1978) [both born in Poland]. Three sisters, Florence P. Panko Hart (1916-2013), Anna J. Panko Mulvey (1929-), and Olga (1932-). Two brothers, Victor (1918-2001) and Mitchell (1925-1945).
CIRCUMSTANCES: The SS Samuel Heintzelman was built by California Shipbuilding Corporation. Her keel was laid on August 27, 1942. She was launched on September 30, 1942, and delivered on October 20, 1942. Built for the War Shipping Administration, she was operated under the management of Coastwise Steamship Co. She was torpedoed and sunk in the Indian Ocean (9°00′S 81°00′E) by U-511 on 9 July 1943 while on a voyage from Charleston. On July 9, 1943, the unescorted Samuel Heintzelman (Master Johann W.G. Wilkie) was torpedoed and sunk by U-511 in the Indian Ocean. The U-boat dived after firing torpedoes and did not observe the results, but they heard underwater explosions and found no trace of the ship after surfacing, only debris floating in the water and lying on deck. All eight officers, 34 crewmen, 27 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in, and eight 20mm guns), and six passengers on board were lost.
The SS Samuel Heintzelman was reported missing after being seen the last time in 20°S/103°E on July 4, and it was first believed that she had been sunk by a Japanese surface raider. On September 30, wreckage from the ship was found off Minni Minni village, Maldive Islands, and two empty lifeboats had been spotted the day before. [uboat.net]
The fate of U-511
Handed over to Japan on September 16, 1943, at Kure as a donation from Germany to the Emperor, and became the Japanese submarine RO-500.
Surrendered at Maizuru in August 1945. Scuttled in the Gulf of Maizuru by the US Navy on April 30, 1946. [uboat.net]