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All lettering shown in " BLUE " on this website are links |
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" Special Thanks go to " TWO " Remarkable Websites " :
~ AND ~
Please visit these great websites for more by |
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Thursday,
May 5, 2022
The steam tanker " S.S. India Arrow " was built in 1921 by the " Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation ", Quincy, Massachusetts for the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Inc., New York.
On February 4, 1942 the unescorted and unarmed " S.S. India Arrow " was enroute from Corpus Christi, Texas to Carteret, New Jersey with a cargo of 88.369 barrels of diesel fuel. They were hit by a torpedo fired by German Submarine U-103 approximatley 20 miles southeast of " Cape May, New Jerse ".
The torpedo struck on the starboard quarter at about the #10 bunker. The " India Arrow " caught fire and began to sink rapidly by the stern. The nine officers and 29 crewmen immediately began to abandon ship. Two boats were destroyed by the explosion and a third was pulled beneath the water by the sinking tanker, drowning 18 of the 20 occupants in it.
U-103 then surfaced and fired seven shells from her deck gun at two minutes intervals from a distance of 250 yards into the bow section which remained above water as the stern was sinking. Two men died as a result of the shelling.
The " S.S. India Arrow " lost " 8 " officers and " 18 " of her crew. Only " 1 " officer and " 11 " crewmen survived.
The ship Master/Captain of the S.S. India Arrow was: Carl Samuel Johnson
who was the only surviving officer in this sinking !
The " 11 " other survivors from the sinking were:
- Fred Baker ~ Machinist ~ Johns Island, SC
- N.J. Baugh ~ Officer's Steward ~ Alpaus, NY
- Alva Curtis Bradford, Jr. ~ Fireman ~ Pine Bluff, AR
- Gordon Chambers ~ Wiper ~ Bronx, NY
- Sam Coulquitt ~ Officer's Messman ~ Madisonville, TX
- Michael Charles Kusy ~ Able-Bodied Seaman ~ New York City, NY
- Dale I. Montgomery ~ Bosun ~ Englewood, CA
- Bert F. Palmer ~ Fireman ~ Sayville, NY
- Edward J. Proehl ~ Officer's Steward ~ Jersey City, NJ
- Charles Louis Seerveld ~ Able-Bodied Seaman ~ Center Moriches, NY
- Edward Joseph Sheer ~ Radio Operator ~ Hammonton, IN
The following below list was created in the memory of those who " GAVE THEIR ALL " on the " S.S. India Arrow ". 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 " had no crew members 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alston, Ruffus Edgar MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ " Family Link Included " |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
City Cemetery Bay City, TX |
Cenotaph | |
Anger, Joseph BarksdaleMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | ||
Armanini, Victor ManuelMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Watertender | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baldwin, Ernest Donald MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cemetery Bridgeport, CT |
Cenotaph |
Brittingham, Thomas E. MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ |
Engineer | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cemetery Uniondale, NY |
Cenotaph |
Brouillet, Arthur LoweMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Mate | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Buhrman, Ira Harrison MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ " Family Link Included " |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
WW II Memorial Annapolis, MD |
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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Davis, Joseph ThomasMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ellinekas, HarrisMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Finn, Michael AugustineMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Harris, Thomas Evan, Sr. MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ " Family Link Included " |
Cook | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Heater, Stanton EdwardMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Third Engineer | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Hetz, Nicholas MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ " Family Link Included " |
Man | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Huhnergarth, Karl FriedrichMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kerr, James Samuel MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ " Family Link Included " |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cemetery Arkabutla, MS |
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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LeJeune, Olivier MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a
" Family Link Included " |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Moody, Henry JeffersonMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nilsen, ThomasMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schwartz, MichaelMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Simon, AnthonyMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | ||
Simonson, Edward K. P.MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Suderow, Erich K. H.MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Engineer | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Truitt, George DanielMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Engineer | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Tucker, Robert Dart, Jr. MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a
" Family Link Included " |
Seaman | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 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 " |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
White, Walter VolneyMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Engineer | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph | |
Winn, James JosephMM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ n/a |
Mate | Merchant Marine |
" Missing In Action " February 4, 1942 |
Cenotaph |
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( russpickde@comcast.net )