The steam tanker " S.S. India Arrow " was built in 1921 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Massachusetts for the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Inc., New York.

     On February 4, 1942 the unescorted & 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 Jersey.   The torpedo struck on the starboard quarter at about the #10 bunker.   The ship 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.

Key to Abbreviations and Notes MM     =  Awarded the " Mariner's Medal " !                    ( Awarded to the Merchant Mariner's for being Wounded, Missing or Killed In Action ) MM *  =  Awarded the " Combat Bar / Ribbon " !                   ( Awarded to Mariner's who have been under combat conditions ) MM **  =  Awarded the " Combat Star " ( attached to the Combat Bar )                    ( Awarded to Mariner's who are forced to abandon ship when attacked or damaged ) MM-DSM  =  Awarded the Mariner's " Distinguished Service Medal " !                          ( Awarded for " Heroism Beyond the Call of Duty " ) MM-POW  =  Awarded the Mariner's " Prisoner Of War Medal " !                          ( Awarded to Mariner's who served time as a POW " ) PH  =  Awarded the " Purple Heart " !               ( Awarded to U.S. Military Soldiers & Sailors for being Wounded and/or Killed in action ) Other Medals               Such as Good Conduct Medals, Campaign Medals, Defense Service Medals, etc.,               " Are Not " included in this listing.   =  Picture of person shown on online memorial   =  Picture of tombstone shown on online memorial " Family Link Included " = Parent, Spouse, or Child linked in " Online Memorial ". Cenotaph  =  A memorial stone only  ~  " OR "  ~  Remains not recovered  ~  " OR "  ~  Interred somewhere unknown. ( www.usmm.org/medals.html )         Quick Link by first letter of Last Name for the " S.S. India Arrow " ( 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 Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Alston,  Ruffus Edgar             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~              " Family Link Included " Messman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Texas Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cedarvale Bay City Cemetery Bay City, TX " Yes " Cenotaph   Anger,  Joseph Barksdale             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Oiler " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Texas Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Armanini,  Victor Manuel             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Fireman / Watertender " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Texas Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Baldwin,  Ernest Donald             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~  Able-Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Lakeview Cemetery Bridgeport, CT " Yes " Cenotaph   Brittingham,  Thomas E.             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~  First Engineer " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Greenfield Cemetery Uniondale, NY " Yes " Cenotaph   Brouillet,  Arthur Lowe             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Second Mate " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Massachusetts Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Buhrman,  Ira Harrison             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~              " Family Link Included " Wiper " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Maryland Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Maryland National WW II Memorial Annapolis, MD " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " C " ~ " There Were None ! "    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Davis,  Joseph Thomas             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Chief Mate " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Ellinekas,  Harris             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Pumpman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Finn,  Michael Augustine             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Messman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " G " ~ " There Were None ! "    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Harris,  Thomas Evan, Sr.             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A             " Family Link Included " Chief Cook " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Texas Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Heater,  Stanton Edward             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Junior Third Engineer " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Ohio Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Hetz,  Nicholas             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A             " Family Link Included " Utility Man " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New Jersey Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Huhnergarth,  Karl F.             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Steward " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " I " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " J " ~ " There Were None ! "    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Kerr,  James Samuel             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~              " Family Link Included " Able-Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Mississippi Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Brooks Chapel Cemetery Arkabutla, MS " Yes " Cenotaph    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   LeJeune,  Olivier             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Wiper " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Louisiana Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Moody,  Henry Jefferson             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Oiler " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Texas Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Nilsen,  Thomas             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Cook " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " O " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " P " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " Q " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " R " ~ " There Were None ! "    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Schwartz,  Michael             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Ordinary Seaman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Simon,  Anthony             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Oiler " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Pennsylvania Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Simonson,  Edward K. P.             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Able-Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Pennsylvania Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Suderow,  Erich K. H.             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Chief Engineer " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   Truitt,  George Daniel             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Third Engineer " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Tucker,  Robert Dart, Jr.             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A             " Family Link Included " Able-Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Rhode Island Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " U " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " V " ~ " There Were None ! "    Last Name, First Name, M.I.             Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial Click on " Yes "   White,  Walter Volney             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Second Engineer " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Winn,  James Joseph             MM ** ~ Off Cape May, NJ ~ N/A Third Mate " Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine Massachusetts Missing In Action February 4, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " X " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " Y " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " Z " ~ " There Were None ! " Email any questions or comments to: Russ Pickett ( russpickde@comcast.net )