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All lettering shown in " BLUE " on this website are links |
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NOTE: " Special Thanks " go to the " Remarkable Website " : Please visit this great site for more by clicking above !
The above photo has the wrong counts
They had a crew of " 41 " and " 17 " survived.
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Monday,
May 2, 2022
" 19 " in the sinking and " 5 " later to wounds !
Please note:
I've only been able to identify " 3 " of those that died of wounds and they are:
Richard Holbrook, Eliot Sherris, and Rocco Torra.
The steam tanker " S.S. Bienville " was built in 1921 by the Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation, Chester, Pennsylvania for the Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Company.
On April 6, 1942 the " Bienville " was en route from Calcutta, India to Columbo, Ceylon to pick up a load of manganese ore, jute, burlap and general cargo. The ship had a crew of " 41 " Merchant Mariners.
Before arriving at their destination the unescorted and unarmed " Bienville " was attacked by Japanese aircraft from the Japanese carrier Ryujo and was hit at the Number 2 hatch which starting a fire. While the crew was fighting the fire two more Japanese aircraft attacked the " Bienville ".
Then the Japanese Heavy cruiser Chokai shelled and eventually sank the " Bienville " and in the process destroyed all but " 1 " of their lifeboats. The one remaining lifeboat picked up " 24 " of the crew of the ship and after a day at sea they landed. However " 5 " of the crew that were in the lifeboat later died of wounds leaving only " 17 " survivors of this attack.
The following below list was created in the memory of those who " Gave Their All " on the " S.S. Bienville ". There are personal "online memorials" for each of these honored men that were created for them by using the " Find A Grave " website. You will see a blue " Yes " behind their names and by clicking on the " Yes " you will see a personal memorial that has been created for them by myself or someone else.
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MM = Awarded the " Mariner's Medal "
( Awarded for being wounded, Missing or Killed In Action )
MM * = Awarded the " Combat Bar ( Ribbon ) "
( Awarded to those who served under combat conditions )
MM ** = Awarded the " Combat Star "
( Awarded to those who are forced to abandon ship when attacked or damaged )
PMM = Awarded the " Mariner's Prisoner of War Medal "
( Awarded to Mariner's held as prisoners of war during World War II )
PH = Awarded the " Purple Heart "
Other Medals = Such as Good Conduct Medals, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medals, American Defense Service Medals, etc. " Are Not " included in this listing.
An " n/a " in the " Photo, Awards, or Notes Area " means that they are not available for that Mariner, Soldier or Sailor .....
Cenotaph = A memorial stone only ~ " OR " ~ Remains not recovered ~ " OR " ~ Interred somewhere unknown.
( Awarded to soldiers & sailors for being Wounded and/or Killed in action )
= Picture of person shown on online memorial.
= Picture of tombstone shown on online memorial.
( Those letters shown below in " Maroon " below had no one on this ship )
[ A ] -
[ B ] -
[ C ] -
[ D ] -
[ E ] -
[ F ] -
[ G ] -
[ H ] -
[ I ] -
[ J ] -
[ K ] -
[ L ]
[ M ] -
[ N ] -
[ O ] -
[ P ] -
[ Q ] -
[ R ] -
[ S ] -
[ T ] -
[ U ] -
[ V ] -
[ W ] -
[ X ] -
[ Y ] -
[ Z ]
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berman, Saul HaroldMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Mate | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Borregaard, Niels L. M.MM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Watertender | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Byers, Eldwyn Lambert MM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a
" Family Link Included " |
Watertender | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cassell, John LeonardMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | ||
Chisholm, AmosMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | ||
Crouse, CharlesMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Watertender | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Crutchfield, Clarence AlvinMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Engineer | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dominguez, Eugene Thomas MM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A
" Family Link Included " |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elshick, Jesse John MM ** ~ Off India ~ " Family Link Included " |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ferguson, Lionel W.MM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | ||
Filomeno, IsmaelMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gourdier, John CharlesMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Holbrook, Richard Homer MM ** ~ Berhampur, India ~ N/A
" Family Link Included " |
Cadet | Merchant Marine |
" Died Of Wounds " April 11, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jaycox, Floyd Stephen, Sr. MM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A
" Family Link Included " |
Mate | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Johansen, KarstenMM ** ~ Off India ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kline, RobertMM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
McKee, William Woolworth MM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A
" Family Link Included " |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
McLaren, Joseph DonaldMM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | ||
Mich, Anthony JohnMM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sherris, Eliot IvanMM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Died Of Wounds " April 8, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Stoltz, Einar HolckMM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A |
Mate | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Sutherland, William CharlesMM ** ~ Off India ~ N/A |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
Last Name, First Name, M.I. Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ~ ( Only If Available ) |
Rank |
of Service |
Cause of Death Date Of Passing |
Memorial |
Memorial Click on " Yes " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Teegarden, Kenneth Crawford MM ** ~ Off India ~ " Family Link Included " |
Engineer | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " April 6, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Torra, Rocco MM ** ~ Off India ~ |
Officer | Merchant Marine |
" Died Of Wounds " April 9, 1942 |
Memorial Cemetery Honolulu, HI |
Cenotaph |
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( russpickde@comcast.net )