FIREMAN/WIPER ALBERT BERT KLINGA

DOB/DOD: July 6, 1921 (Bridgeport, CT) – March 17, 1943; 21 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: 185 King Street, Bridgeport
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-267897

FAMILY: Born to Stephen A. “Istvan” (1884-1951) and Pauline M. Tokh Klinga (1886-1950); both born in Hungary. Two brothers, Stephen F. (1918-1998) and Edward A. (1924-1999). Five sisters, Pauline E. Klinga Cummings (1912-2003), Cornelia C. Klinga Moody Andradzki (1914-2000), Clara Klinga Nadeau (1916-1978), May Klinga Bardinelli (1927-2008), and Marion Klinga Soltis (1930-2016).

CIRCUMSTANCES: Between 0337 and 0341 hours on March 17, 1943, U-91 fired five torpedoes at convoy HX-229 about 400 miles east-southeast of Cape Farewell and observed detonations on two ships, but in fact only the SS Harry Luckenbach was hit and sunk. The Harry Luckenbach (Master Ralph McKinnon) was assigned to station #111. The ship had been so exposed that the master had nervously steamed a zigzag course out in front of the convoy until ordered to return to his station. The vessel was struck by two torpedoes on the starboard side amidships in the machinery spaces, causing her to sink within 3 minutes in the rough seas. However, some of the nine officers, 45 crew members and 26 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) abandoned ship in three lifeboats, which were first spotted by HMS Beverley (H 64) (LtCdr R.A Price, RN) and HMS Volunteer (D 71) (LtCdr G.J. Luther, RN), but not picked up. HMS Anemone (K 48) (LCDR P.G.A. King, RNR) was ordered to find the lifeboats after HMS Pennywort (K 111) (Lt O.G. Stuart, RCNVR) had come across them and could not pick up the men because she already had 108 survivors on board. But the other corvette was unable to locate the boats, and it is possible that the boats were also seen by HMS Abelia (K 184) (T/A/LtCdr F. Ardern, RNR) on her way from St. Johns to join the convoy. None of the men from the Harry Luckenbach were seen or heard from again.

Photo from history.navy.mil

The fate of U91

Sunk on 26 February 1944 in the North Atlantic west of Ireland, in position 49.45N, 26.20W, by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Affleck, HMS Gore, and HMS Gould. 36 dead and 16 survivors.

Memorialized on the Bridgeport (CT) War Memorial, 989 Broad Street, Bridgeport, CT

Photos from HMdb.org and contributor Michael Herrick

THIRD MATE CHARLES WALTER KIBBIT

DOB/DOD: January 22, 1902 (Warehouse Point, CT) – February 20, 1942; 40 years old
NOTE: Other sources show the Date of Birth as January 22, 1906, in Westfield, Massachusetts.
MARITAL STATUS: Married Eva Mae Ledoux Kibbit (1906-2005) on December 21, 1936, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
LOCAL ADDRESS: Warehouse Point (East Windsor)
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-086516

FAMILY: Born to Joszeph “John” F. (1881-1957) and Anne Katowski Kibbit (1883-1924). Two sisters, Helen M. Kibbit Norris Golen (1910-1983) and Sophie Kibbit Mayo (1904-1969). Three brothers, John (1907-1989), Leon P. (1911-1954), and Edward (1913-1992).

CIRCUMSTANCES: On February 19, 1942, the unescorted SS Lake Osweya (Master Karl E. Prinz) followed three miles behind the Empire Seal, while they approached Halifax. When the British ship was sunk by U-96 at 2329 hours, the Lake Osweya tried to escape by changing course and zigzagging. But at 04.53 hours on February 20, the vessel was struck amidships by one torpedo fired by U-96 from a distance of 500 yards, broke in two, and sank quickly by the bow. Lehmann-Willenbrock reported that three lifeboats were launched, but none of the eight officers, 22 crewmen, and nine armed guards (the ship was armed with two 3-inch guns) were ever found.

The fate of U-96

Decommissioned on February 15, 1945, at Wilhelmshaven. Sunk on March 30, 1945, in the Hipper Basin at Wilhelmshaven by bombs during a United States air raid by the 8th Air Force.

Memorialized in St. Mary’s Cemetery, 203 Southampton Road, Westfield, Massachusetts.

Photo from FindAGrave.com and contributor Jane Richiedei

OILER JOHN PAUL KERTENIS

DOB/DOD: May 23, 1921 (Scitico, CT) – November 23, 1944; 23 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: Main Street, Scitico (Hartford)
ENLISTMENT: December 24, 1943
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-485595

FAMILY: Born to Victor A. Sr. (1891-1960) and Justina Launkas Kertenis (1890-1975). Both were born in Lithuania. Three brothers, Francis G. “Frank” (1917-2007), Victor A. Jr. (1919-1996), and Zigmund (1925-1993). Three sisters, Mary Kertenis Palazia (1914-1998), and twins Magdelena K. “Maggie” Kertenis Saydlowski (1927-2012), and Margaret A. Kertenis Ragion (1927-2016).

CIRCUMSTANCES: At 1513 hours on November 23, 1944, the William D. Burnham (Master Emil Rosol) was hit in the stern by one torpedo from U-978 five miles off Barfleur. The ship had missed her rendezvous with convoy TMC-44 and continued alone at 11 knots, escorted by the British armed drifter HMS Fidget (FY 551). The explosion lifted the ship up, blew off the rudder, damaged the propeller, broke the shaft, and flooded the #5 hold, causing the ship to settle by the stern. The master ordered the crew to make the lifeboats ready for launching and then tried to save the ship. At 1606 hours, a FAT coup de grâce struck on the port side in the #3 hold just forward of the bridge and opened a hole of 40 feet in diameter. The explosion also destroyed one of the lifeboats and killed 18 of the 19 men in or near it. The survivors among the eight officers, 33 crewmen, 26 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in, and eight 20mm guns), and one passenger on board abandoned ship in three lifeboats and headed for the beach. Two officers, six crewmen, and ten armed guards were lost. The survivors were picked up by the escort vessel, and most of them were later transferred to USS PT-461 and landed at Cherbourg, but the last ten survivors (including two injured) were transferred to HMS Vesper (D 55) and taken to Portsmouth. The badly damaged William D. Burnham was taken in tow by the American tug USS ATR-3, beached at the Grand Roads off Cherbourg, and later declared a total loss.

Fate of U-978

Surrendered on May 9, 1945, in the Lofjord near Trondheim, Norway (Waller & Niestlé, 2010). Transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland, on May 29, 1945. Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info) Sunk on December 11, 1945, in position 56.10N, 10.05W.

OILER EMIL JOHN KATRENICK

DOB/DOD: September 24, 1920 (Danbury, CT) – August 30, 1944; 23 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: 51 South Street, Danbury
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-233336

FAMILY: Born to Wassill “William” B. (1883-1965) and Anna B. Zack Katrenick (1883-1960). Both were born in Poland. Three brothers, Joseph (1908-2001), William (1913-2001), and John T. (1927-1997). Two sisters, Anie (Anna) Katrenick Tita (1906-1978), and Helen Katrenick Timan (1918-2011).

Photo from ancestry.com
Monument at Fort Trumbull in Connecticut.

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 S.S. 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.

The fate of U-482

Sunk on 25 November 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 November 24, 1944. 48 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, April 2005).

DECK ENGINEER HENRY WILLIAM KACZYNSKI

NOTE: Last name is also spelled Kacinski
DOB/DOD: July 1, 1912 (Bayonne, NJ) – August 19, 1943; 33 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Anna R. Novak (1908-2002) on May 30, 1934, in New Haven. After her husband’s death, she remarried in 1947 to John Wenk, in New Haven.
CHILDREN: One son, Henry P. [Air Force veteran] (1935-1980)
OCAL ADDRESS: 106 Poplar Street, New Haven
ENLISTMENT: July 4, 1943
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-319227

FAMILY: William W. (1889-1965) and Katherine Drosdorika Kaczynski (?). No known siblings.


CIRCUMSTANCES: The S.S. J. Pinckney Henderson was a U.S. Liberty Ship named after J. Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas. While on her maiden voyage, she collided with the tanker S.S. J. H. Senior off Newfoundland during the war. The J. Pinckney Henderson, carrying magnesium and oil, collided with the tanker SS J.H. Senior, which was carrying aviation gas. Both ships were set ablaze due to an aviation fuel fire. All crewmen on both ships, except for nine crew members, were lost.

Memorialized on a monument at St. Stanislaus Church, 804 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut

Photo by Jeff DeWitt
Photo by Jeff DeWitt

Memorialized at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 2900 Sheridan Road, St. Louis, Missouri

Of the 67 crew members and naval personnel aboard the J. Pinckney Henderson, 64 were lost. The recovered bodies were initially buried in a mass grave in Harwood Hill Cemetery in Sydney, Nova Scotia, where a monument was erected. In 1949, the remains of 50 merchant marine and Navy personnel were exhumed, returned to the United States, and buried in a mass grave at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Group 3100 GB-1.

Photo from FindAGrave.com and contributor “Jim”

OILER HAROLD SILAS JORDAN

DOB/DOD: January 14, 1899 (Lynn, MA) – June 17, 1942; 43 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Ada “Nettie” May David (1902-1993). She later remarried to George Curley.
CHILDREN: One daughter, Pearl May (1921-1923). One son, Arthur E. (1923-1997).
LOCAL ADDRESS: Rocky Hill
PRIOR MILITARY SERVICE: U.S. Navy, from May 2, 1917, to December 16, 1919
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-174460

FAMILY: William A. Jordan (1863-1906) and Jennie Thomas Jordan [born in Canada] (1883-). One sister, Ella May Jordan (1900-1989).

Photo from Application for Seaman’s Protection

CIRCUMSTANCES: The unescorted S.S. Millinocket was hit by one torpedo from German U-Boat U-129 off La Isabela, Cuba. The torpedo struck between the #4 and #5 holds, 12 feet below the waterline. The ship sank rapidly on even keel within three minutes.

The master, three officers, five crewmen, and two armed guards of the seven officers, 22 crewmen, and six armed guards on board were lost, most of them by drowning.

The survivors were picked up by a Cuban motor boat and two Cuban fishing boats about 13 hours later and landed at La Isabela, and were taken to Sagua La Grande, where the eight injured were treated at the hospital. [from uboat.net]

The fate of U-129

Decommissioned in August 1944 at Lorient and scuttled south-west of U-boat pen Keroman I on August 18. 1944. Wreck captured by US forces in May 1945 and handed over to France. Raised and broken up in 1946. [from uboat.net]

WIPER ROMAN JANCZYK

DOB/DOD: August 12, 1912 (Providence, RI) – March 9, 1943; 30 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: Putnam
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-071283

FAMILY: Born to Wladyslaw “Walter” (1890-1985) and Julianna (Kavwowska) Janczyk (1890-1925) [both born in Poland]. Stepmother, Magdalena P. Partyka Janczyk [born in Poland] (1897-1987). Six brothers, Jacob (1915-1994), Joseph J. (1917-2008), Kazimier “Charles” [Army; 1941-1945] (1919-1996), Cypryjan “Cypry” (1923-1996), Tadeusz [Air Force, 1945-1946] (1926-1973), and Wiktor (1930-2013). Two sisters, Alexandria “Alice” Janczyk Kwandrans (1928-2021) and Regina J. (1933-2019).

CIRCUMSTANCES: The S.S. Malantic was carrying a cargo of 5,000 tons of ammunition and 6,000 half-ton bombs from New York City, New York, to Bari, Italy. They were struck by one torpedo from German U-Boat U-409 on the starboard side at the #1 hatch and eventually sank. Three officers, 16 crewmen, five armed guards, and one passenger on board were lost. The survivors were picked up by the British rescue ship Melrose Abbey.

Steamship Historical Society of America (USCG Collection).

The fate of U-409

Sunk on July 12, 1943, in the Mediterranean Sea north-east of Algiers, in position 37.12N, 04.00E, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Inconstant. 11 dead and 37 survivors.

ORDINARY SEAMAN DONALD HARVEY HOLLAND

DOB/DOD: August 15, 1920 (Minneapolis, MN) – December 2, 1943; 23 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: 63 Wilson Street, Hartford
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-147865

FAMILY: Born to George (1869-1946) and Bonneta “Neta” Elizabeth Saunders Holland (1888-1983). One brother, Robert I. (1924-1956).

Photo from Seaman’s Protection Certificate on Ancestry.com

CIRCUMSTANCES: Merchant Seaman Donald Holland was serving aboard the Liberty ship SS John L. Motley, which sank in a German air raid on the port of Bari, Italy, on December 2, 1943. There were only five survivors from her Armed Guards, and 30 of the merchant crew were missing or dead. Four of her survivors were ashore. It was reported that three bombs hit the ship. Five American, four British, 3 Norwegian, and 2 Polish ships were sunk by the Germans in this attack. [history.navy.mil]

The only known photo of the SS John Motley (RussPicket.com)

Buried in Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Piazzale Kennedy, 1, 00048 Nettuno RM, Italy; Plot J, Row 11, Grave 57

Photo from FindAGrave.com and contributor “John”

STEWARD ALBURN JEFFERSON HINKLE

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.

Photo of the SS John Poor

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

GALLEYMAN JOHN WILLIAM HASTINGS

DOB/DOD: May 12, 1905 (New Haven, CT) – September 23, 1942; 37 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: New Haven
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-241818

FAMILY: Born to Daniel K. (1884-1951) and Margaret J. Kelly Hastings (1886-1957) [both born in Ireland]. One brother, Ronald T. (1910-1928). One sister, Anna M. Hastings Dunleavy (1908-1990).

CIRCUMSTANCES: On September 22, 1942, the unescorted MV Esso Williamsburg made its way to Reykjavik (Iceland) with a cargo of fuel oil. About 500 miles south of Greenland, German submarine U-211 spotted the tanker and fired two torpedoes; both missed. Contact was lost until early the next day. A torpedo was then fired, which hit amidships, causing an explosion and setting the ship afire. Another torpedo was fired, hitting amidships on the starboard side. The tanker broke in two, and U-211 left. On October 3rd, German submarine U-254 came across the drifting shell of the tanker, fired two torpedoes, and sank her. According to U-254, all but one lifeboat had been launched. A weak distress signal was received from one of the lifeboats, but an extensive search failed to find any of the men or lifeboats.

There were 42 Merchant Mariners and 18 US Naval Armed Guards on board; none survived.

The Esso Williamsburg from uboat.net

The fate of U-211

Sunk on November 19, 1943, in the North Atlantic east of the Azores, in position 40.15N, 19.18W, by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (179 Sqn RAF/F). 54 dead (all hands lost). [from uboat.net]