DOB/DOD: December 15, 1907 (Wishaw, Scotland) – April 20, 1946; 38 years old MARITAL STATUS: Married Stasia H. Szymanski (1911-1944) on September 9, 1930, in Brewster, New York CHILDREN: Two sons, John S. (1931-2025) and Ronald J. (1932-2019). LOCAL ADDRESS: 205 Alsace Street, Bridgeport SERVICE NUMBER: Z-502589
FAMILY: Born to Joseph (1871-1959) and Mary Mitchell McLeod (1874-1962). Three sisters, Mary McLeod Dwyer (1903-?), Janet D. McLeod Smith (1905-1984), and Jean M. McLeod Stokes Williams (1912-1954). One brother, James M. (1910-1910).
Photos from Ancestry.com
CIRCUMSTANCES: Died in Lewis Hospital, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The cause of death was right heart failure accelerated by an anesthetic and bronchial pneumonia. The symptoms were caused by injuries sustained aboard an unknown ship, possibly the S.S. John W. Powell.
Buried in Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley Rd, Cambridge CB23 7PH, United Kingdom; Section F, Plot 4, Grave 54.
Photo from FindAGrave.com and contributor Skip Farrow
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).
Photo top from Seaman’s Protection application and photo above from Ancestry.com
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.
From uboat.net
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.
Photos from FindAGrave.com and contributors David Fontaine and JC.
OB/DOD: December 8, 1895 (Cambridge, MA) – October 9, 1942; 46 years old MARITAL STATUS: Married Mary Dumas (1897-1915). She died 2 months after giving birth to their daughter. CHILDREN: One daughter, Eleanor Elizabeth Lynch LeBel (1915-2000) LOCAL ADDRESS: East Hartford SERVICE NUMBER: Z-15263
FAMILY: Born to Mellville W. (1867-1898) and Maria “Mary” E. Debay Lynch Dunn (1875-1933). Stepfather, Harland Dunn (1876-1951). No known siblings.
From Seaman’s Protection application
CIRCUMSTANCES: At 1154 hours on October 9, 1942, the unescorted S.S. Coloradan (Master Robert Hugh Murphy) was hit on the port side by one torpedo from U-159 while steaming on a zigzag course at 9.5 knots about 200 miles southwest of Capetown. The torpedo struck the vessel between the #5 and #6 hatches and destroyed the bulkhead between the holds, blew out the double bottom, and damaged the shaft alley. The watch below secured the main engines as the ship quickly settled and sank by the stern within eight minutes. The crew of nine officers, 30 men, and 15 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in, four 20mm, and two .30cal guns) launched two lifeboats and all four rafts, but two rafts drifted away before they could be used. Six crew members failed to leave the ship. The U-boat surfaced shortly afterwards and went to the boats for questioning. The third mate answered questions concerning the ship and cargo, and the Germans gave him the course and distance to land and wished them a pleasant voyage and good liberty. All survivors were divided equally among the two boats and sailed together until they were separated on the afternoon of October 10th. The next day, the master and 22 men in one boat were picked up by HMS Active (H 14) (LtCdr M.W. Tomkinson, RN), which searched unsuccessfully for the other boat and then landed the survivors in Capetown on October 14th. On October 19th, the other boat in charge of the chief mate with 25 men reached the coast and was towed by a fishing boat to Thorne Bay, South Africa. One day later, these survivors were taken to Cape Town, where many required hospitalization. 15 of the survivors were later repatriated on the Zaandam, which was sunk by U-174 (Thilo) on 2 November. Six crewmen from the Coloradan died.
From uboat.net
The fate of U-159
Sunk on July 28, 1943, in the Caribbean Sea, south-east of Haiti, in position 15.57N, 68.30W, by depth charges from a US Mariner aircraft (VP-32 USN/P-1). 53 dead (all hands lost). [Axel Niestlé, December 1997].
DOB/DOD: December 28, 1912 (New London, CT) – January 8, 1942; 29 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS: 77 Belden Street, New London SERVICE NUMBER: Unknown
FAMILY: Born to Joseph (1890-1978) and Antonia Romano LoGioco (1895-1916). Stepmother, Orsola Grillo LoGioco (1898-1972). One sister, Maria “Mary” LoGioco Gaska (1914-1949). One brother, James J. (1915-1953). Four half-sisters, Antoinette “Ann” LoGioco Arnold Bendarczyk (1920-2000), Jacqueline J. LoGioco Rothen (1922-1998), Rose U. LoGioco Zukowski Joseph (1924-), Josephine N. LoGioco Coletti (1925-1998).
From The Day newspaper, New London, CT, on January 9, 1942.
CIRCUMSTANCES: The General Richard Arnold, after successfully saving another Army mine planter that had suffered engine trouble while heading to Portsmouth, sprang a leak in a storm and sank off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The only survivor of the General Arnold was the captain of the ship, William H. Chasteen. When they first tried to rescue him, he shouted, “Never mind me. Save the others! ” He, however, was the only one left to rescue, and he also survived the war. [from russpickett.com]
From the Charleston (SC) Gazette January 9, 1942
MINELAYER SINKS; 10 MEN DROWN U.S. Vessel Bursts Seams While Towing Another In Heavy Seas
PORTSMOUTH, N. H, Jan. 8.— (INS)—Ten men died today when the U. S. minelayer Arnold sank in heavy seas while attempting to tow the disabled minelayer L-88 to port through the storm-tossed north Atlantic.
Sole survivor of the Arnold was Capt. W. H. Chasteen of Waterford. Connecticut, which was pulled from the icy water by men from another minelayer, which also succeeded in bringing the L-88 to shore. The Arnold apparently burst its seams in the mountainous waves, which prevented the launching of lifeboats.
Army officers said the Arnold had reported last midnight that it was bucking heavy seas and making little headway, and the minelayer Beard was dispatched to its assistance. It was the Beard that later took the L-88 in tow.
Coast Guard cutters joined in the fruitless search for the men lost from the Arnold.
The Crew of the USAT General Richard Arnold
Deckhand Harleigh A. Alley; Prospect Park, ME Mate Cletus A. Chilcote; New London, CT Fireman Robert E. Gaboury; Groton, CT Chief Engineer Robert H. Larkin; New London, CT Deckhand John J. LoGioco; New London, CT Fireman Gerald W. Reade; Somerville, MA Deckhand Harry N. Reeves; New London, CT Fireman Nicholas N. Robinson; Niantic, CT Mate Robert S. Walter, Jr.; South Westport, MA Deckhand Daniel A. Zimmer; Newark, NJ
DOB/DOD: October 10, 1921 (Hartford, CT) – February 2, 1943; 21 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS: 190 Hawthorn Street, Hartford SERVICE NUMBER: Z-268197
FAMILY: Born to Carl H. [Army veteran] (1889-1961) and Elizabeth M. Pollock Linde (1890-1969). Two brothers, George E. [Navy veteran] (1926-2015) and David J. [Coast Guard veteran] (1929-2009). One sister, Marion E. (1923-2008).
Hartford Public High School Class of 1939
Merchant Marine Academy Class of 1944
CIRCUMSTANCES: At 0304 hours on February 2, 1943, the S.S. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer (Master Lucius Whitfield Webb, lost) in station #45 (last ship in the extreme port column) of convoy HX-224 was torpedoed by U-456. The ship had been in station #11 but had performed poorly, keeping station and keeping her station about once in seven nights; she managed to catch up in the daytime, and consequently, her position was changed. Two torpedoes struck on the port side in the #1 hold. The explosion created an 8-by-30-foot hole, blew the hatch cover off, scattered cargo overboard, and started a fire. A short time later, a third torpedo struck on the port side at #4 hatch and blew a truck standing on deck into the water, and also started a small fire. The engines were secured, and some of the eight officers, 34 crewmen, 28 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in, and eight 20mm guns), and one passenger abandoned ship, panicked; they tried to launch three lifeboats, but two capsized in the rough seas. Eight men got away in a boat, and others jumped overboard and swam to three rafts, but the harsh weather and cold water caused most men to die from exposure.
Only one officer, six crewmen, and 17 armed guards survived. 23 survivors and three bodies were picked up after five hours by the British rescue ship Accrington and landed at Gourock. A boarding party from the US Coast Guard cutter USS Ingham (WPG 35) later boarded the ship and noted that she could have been saved, but the watch below left the boilers’ fire lit, which burned the boilers out. The vessel was scuttled by gunfire at 1300 hours. The boarding party also found one man, who never left the ship, and took him to the escort vessel. One week later, two bodies were recovered from a raft by FFL Lobelia (K 05).
S.S. Van Rensselaer from uboat.net
The fate of U-456
Sank in a diving accident on May 12, 1943, in the North Atlantic north of the Azores, in position 46.39N, 26.54W, while facing the British destroyer HMS Opportune after being badly damaged by a Fido homing torpedo from a British Liberator aircraft (86 Sqn RAF/B). 49 dead (all hands lost). [FDS/NHB, October 1989].
DOB/DOD: July 10, 1921 (Providence, RI) – August 30, 1944; 23 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS: 53 Ansonia Street, Hartford SERVICE NUMBER: Z-043959
FAMILY: Born to Edward S. Sr. [born in Russia] (1890-1978) and Pauline B. Stober Pinneo Lawrence (1892-1983). Two brothers, Edward S. Jr. (1915-2008) and Donald S. [Navy veteran] (1930-2015). One sister, Edith P. (1917-1999).
Hartford Public High School, Class of 1939
Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT), Class of 1943
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy photo
CIRCUMSTANCES: At 1555 hours on August 30, 1944, U-482 fired two torpedoes at a group of five ships from convoy CU-36 about 50 miles north of Londonderry and hit the last ship of the single column, the Jacksonville (Master Edgar Winter), after 3 minutes 32 seconds. This group had split from the port side of the convoy to proceed to Loch Ewe and was attacked just after completing the turn. The torpedo struck on the starboard side at the #7 tank, igniting the cargo. Flames covered the ship from stem to stern and leapt 300 feet in the air in a matter of seconds. The second torpedo struck the same tanker after 4 minutes and 5 seconds and broke her in two. The complement of nine officers, 40 crewmen, and 31 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in, and eight 20mm guns) had no chance to launch any of the lifeboats or rafts. A few men jumped overboard with life preservers, but most died in the sea of flames around the ship. One armed guard and a fireman survived and were picked up by the USS Poole (DE 151) after they spent 90 minutes in the water. Both sections of the tanker remained afloat. The after section was sunk by the escort vessels with depth charges and gunfire. The forward section sank 15 hours later.
SS Jacksonville from uboat.net
The fate of U-482
Sunk on November 25, 1944, in the North Atlantic west of the Shetland Islands, in position 60.18N, 04.52W, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Ascension, after being located by a Norwegian Sunderland aircraft (330 Sqn RAF/G) on 24 November 1944. 48 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, April 2005).
Memorial headstone, Northwood Cemetery, 79 Matianuck Avenue, Windsor, Connecticut; plot and grave number unknown.
Photo from FindAGrave.com and contributor MSimonds. The inscription is incorrect. It should read Merchant Marines vs. Marine Corps.
DOB/DOD: April 6, 1904 (Copenhagen, Denmark) – May 13, 1942; 38 years old MARITAL STATUS: Married Margaret J. Graversen (1911-1997) on May 25, 1937, in Hartford CHILDREN: One son, John W. (1940-). One daughter, Mary (?-) LOCAL ADDRESS: 51 Orange Street, Hartford SERVICE NUMBER: Z-003632
FAMILY: Born to Son of Peter Larsen [Larsan] (?-) and Hilder Larsen (?-). Unknown siblings.
From the Seaman’s Protection application
CIRCUMSTANCES: At 2203 hours on May 12, 1942, the unescorted and unarmed Virginia (Master Bengt H. Larson) was hit on the port side at the #8 tank by one torpedo from U-507 while lying stopped at the pilot buoy one and a half miles off the entrance to Southwest Pass, Mississippi River. Two minutes later, she was hit on the same side in the engine room by two more torpedoes, which caused a fire in the stern that quickly spread out around the ship on both sides. The ship sank within a few minutes, with the superstructure remaining above water. The master, seven officers, and 33 crewmen had no time to launch lifeboats, so they were forced to jump overboard. Only the two officers and 13 crewmen who jumped from the windward side and swam away from the tanker survived, but one crewman later died of burns in the Marine Hospital in New Orleans. The survivors were picked up by the PT-157 after 30 minutes and landed at Burwood, Louisiana. Several crewmen exhibited bravery by saving the lives of men who had severe burns and could not swim.
The fate of U-507
Sunk on January 13, 1943, in the South Atlantic north-west of Fortaleza, Brazil, in position 01.38S, 39.52W, by depth charges from a US Catalina aircraft (VP-83 USN/P-10). 54 dead (all hands lost). [from uboat.net]
DOB/DOD: August 6, 1884 (Connecticut) – January 8, 1942; 57 years old MARITAL STATUS: Married Etta M. Lincoln (1889-1983) on February 22, 1915, in New London CHILDREN: One daughter, Althea L. Larkin King (1922-2004). LOCAL ADDRESS: 5 Farnsworth Street, New London SERVICE NUMBER: Unknown
FAMILY: Born to Benjamin R. (1852-1922) and Blanche M. Fuller Larkin (1862-1922). One sister, Grace M. Larkin Goodrich (1886-1933).
CIRCUMSTANCES: The General Richard Arnold, after successfully saving another Army mine planter that had suffered engine trouble while heading to Portsmouth, sprang a leak in a storm and sank off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The only survivor of the General Arnold was the captain of the ship, William H. Chasteen. When they first tried to rescue him, he shouted, “Never mind me. Save the others! ” He, however, was the only one left to rescue, and he also survived the war. [from russpickett.com]
The Crew of the USAT General Richard Arnold
Deckhand Harleigh A. Alley; Prospect Park, ME Mate Cletus A. Chilcote; New London, CT Fireman Robert E. Gaboury; Groton, CT Chief Engineer Robert H. Larkin; New London, CT Deckhand John J. Logico; New London, CT Fireman Gerald W. Reade; Somerville, MA Deckhand Harry N. Reeves; New London, CT Fireman Nicholas N. Robinson; Niantic, CT Mate Robert S. Walter, Jr.; South Westport, MA Deckhand Daniel A. Zimmer; Newark, NJ
DOB/DOD: May 28, 1894 (New Haven, CT) – June 5, 1942; 48 years old MARITAL STATUS: Married Rose M. Berggren (1896-1960) on May 2, 1917, in Orange, Connecticut. CHILDREN: One daughter, Marie F. Lafo Tsolis (1914-2011). One son, Eugene H. (1921-2011). LOCAL ADDRESS: West Haven SERVICE NUMBER: Z-142743
FAMILY: Born to John (1861-1914) and Mary C. Foley Lafo (1864-1943). Mary was born in Sweden. Five sisters, Mary J. (1881-), Catherine (1884-), Nellie (1886-1981), Jennie (1896-1910), Madeline (1899-1904), and Madaline G. Lafo MacDowall (1905-1983). Four brothers, John R. (1890-1935), Francis E. (1900-1950), George M. (1908-), and Arthur (?-).
From Seaman’s Protection application
CIRCUMSTANCES: Two ships sailed out of Aruba’s San Nicolas harbor just after sunrise on June 4, 1942. One, the Panamanian tanker C. O. Stillman, carrying 125,812 barrels of fuel oil, was bound for New York. The other, the American tanker L.J. Drake, was headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a consignment of 72,961 barrels of gasoline. In compliance with orders from the British Naval Routing Officer at Aruba, the two ships were traveling together at that point. However, the L.J. Drake’s speed of 9 knots, as opposed to the Stillman’s of 9 1/2, caused it to lag behind, and by nightfall, it was barely visible to the Stillman.
Although the tanker was sailing alone the next morning, it was armed with one 4in, one 3in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns, and the complement of 40 included a six-man Navy Armed Guard crew. By then, coded messages were being received, warning of enemy submarine activity in the area.
Late in the evening of the 5th, L.J. Drake was hit with three torpedoes, fired by German submarine U-68, causing the tanker to explode in flames, leaving only bits and pieces of wreckage.
There were 35 Merchant Mariners and 6 Naval Armed Guards on board; none survived.
NOTE: Three months earlier, on March 18th, Chief Engineer Lafo was on the E.M. Clark when that ship was torpedoed and sunk. He was assigned to the L.J. Drake on May 20th. (from Auke Visser’s International Esso Tankers site.
Sunk on April 10, 1944, in the North Atlantic north-west of Madeira, Portugal, in position 33.24N, 18.59W, by depth charges and rockets from two Avenger and a Wildcat aircraft (VC-58 USN/T-22, T-24 & F-4) of the US escort carrier USS Guadalcanal. 56 dead and 1 survivor.
DOB/DOD: March 13, 1920 (Norwich, CT) – May 27, 1942; 22 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS: 114 Thames Street, Norwich SERVICE NUMBER: Unknown
FAMILY: Born to Joseph Charles Sr. (1890-1971) and Muncia “Monica” Pietrewicz Krajewski (1891-1967) [both born in Poland]. Two brothers, Joseph C. Jr. (1914-1982) and Peter L. (1923-1925).
CIRCUMSTANCES: SS Jack, a freighter, was sunk in the Caribbean with a crew of 29, 3 armed guards, and 7 Army personnel. On the morning of May 27, 1942, SS Jack was torpedoed by U-558 while about 100 miles off the coast of Haiti. The ship sank quickly, and the port lifeboat was swamped by the ship’s undertow. Most survivors were picked up four days later; however, seven survivors spent 32 days on a raft before being rescued.
Sunk on July 20, 1943, in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.10N, 09.42W, by depth charges from a US Liberator (19th A/S Sqn USAAF/F) and a British Halifax aircraft (58 Sqn RAF/E). 45 dead and 5 survivors.
