DOB/DOD: December 23, 1897 (Killingly, CT) – June 15, 1942; 44 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: Killingly
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-024603
FAMILY: Born to Joseph H.M. (1863-1942) and Marie Louise Ludovica Lussier Marchesseault (1864-1918) [both born in Canada]. Three brothers, Joseph A.A. (1888-1951), Joseph A.A. (1890-1956), Oscar (1892-1892), and Raymond A. (1899-1969). Two sisters, Mary A.A. (1893-1988) and Louise E. Marchesseault Bitgood (1897-1985). Two half-sisters, Emelda Lussier Brown (1876-1936) and Jennie L. Lussier Duperré (1883-1924). One half-brother, Joseph H. Lussier (1880-1880).
CIRCUMSTANCES: At 0230 hours on June 16, 1942, the unarmed and unescorted Arkansan (Master Paul R. Jones) had discontinued her zigzag course about 45 minutes before when the lookouts sighted a surfaced U-boat. The ship increased the speed immediately and turned away, but it was too late, and within one minute, two torpedoes from U-126 hit amidships. The explosions wrecked the radio antenna, and the ship took an extreme port list. Most of the crew of ten officers, 28 men, and two workaways abandoned ship in one lifeboat, despite the fact that she was still moving at seven knots. The Arkansan sank after 20 minutes, 70 miles west of Grenada. One officer and three crewmen could not be accounted for after the attack. The survivors were picked up later that day by the American store ship USS Pastores (AF 16) (Capt C.L. Andrews, USN) and were landed at Trinidad.
The fate of U-126
Sunk on 3 July 1943 in the North Atlantic north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 46.02N, 11.23W, by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (172 Sqn RAF/R). 55 dead (all hands lost).
Memorial stone in St. Joseph Cemetery, 1583 Maple Street, Dayville, CT. Plot and section number are unknown.
