Originally built as the steam tanker " G. Harrison Smith " by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Sparrow's Point, Maryland in 1921, it was renamed the " Charles G. Black " when it was purchased by the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey & New York in 1926.   In 1940 the Standard Oil Company converted the ship to an ore carrier and renamed the ship the " S.S. Venore ! "

         On January 24, 1942 the unescorted & unarmed " Venore " was enroute from Cruz Grande, Chile to Baltimore, Maryland with a cargo of 8,000 tons of iron ore.   They were hit by one torpedo fired by " German U-66 " about 20 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.   The torpedo struck the " Venore " amidships forward of the boiler room and set her on fire.

         The crew started to do their best to fight the fires as the Master/Captain " Fritz Duurloo " tried to escape by zigzagging at high speed.   Then, about 45 minutes later, a second torpedo, also believed to be from U-66, hit the ship on the port side at the #9 hold and the remaining crew abandoned ship.   The " Master, One Officer " and " 15 Crewmen " were lost in this sinking.   24 members of the crew survived.

         " German U-Boat U-66 " damaged " 2 " merchant ships and " 2 " warships, and also sank " 33 " ships during World War II.

         German U-Boat U-66 was finally also sank on May 6, 1944 in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Cape Verde Islands by the " U.S.S. Block Island ( CVE-21 ) " by depth charges, gunfire and also being rammed by a Grumman TBF Avenger and a Grumman Wildcat/Martlet who served on the U.S.S. Block Island with VC-55.

The ship
" Master / Captain "
of the
" S.S. Venore "
was :

" Fritz Duurloo "

who went down with his ship !

The following below list was created
in the memory of those who
" Gave Their All "
on the
" S.S. Venore ! "

         There are personal " Online Memorials " for each of these honored men that were created for them by using the " Find A Grave Website ".   On the " Majority " of the online memorials you will see a small biography for each soldier which may include:

Parent's, Grandparent's & Sibling's Names,
where & when they were born,
where they grew up,
when & where they enlisted in the service,
the military unit they were part of,
" AND "
where and how they actually died during the war !

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 "
               ( Awarded to soldiers & sailors for being Wounded and/or Killed in action )

Other Medals  =  Such as Good Conduct Medals, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medals, American Defense Service Medals, etc. " Are Not " included in this listing.

  =  Picture of person shown on online memorial.

  =  Picture of tombstone shown on online memorial.

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.

( Those letters shown in " Red " did not have names to list for 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 ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Aikens,  Cortland Verdel MM **  ~  N/A	Messman	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Batulis,  Stanley James MM **  ~  N/A " Family Link Included "	Bosun	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Patton, Pennsylvania ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942
Brand,  Cornelius Johannes MM **  ~  N/A	Oiler	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Rotterdam, Holland ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942
Brown,  Frank Summer MM **  ~  N/A	Messman	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Chisholm,  Elmo Bernard MM **  ~  N/A	Messman	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Savannah, Georgia ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Davis,  William Lee MM **  ~	Wiper	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Baltimore, Maryland " Click Here " ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Maryland National WW II Memorial ~ ~ ~ Annapolis, Maryland ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942
Duurloo,  Fritz MM **  ~   ~ ~ ~ Husband of Marjorie Lucy ( Finnegan ) Duurloo !	Master / Captain	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	New York City, New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Names starting with " E " " There Were None Lost ! "

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Figueras,  Claudio MM **  ~	Deck Engineer	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Baltimore, Maryland " Click Here " ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Maryland National WW II Memorial ~ ~ ~ Annapolis, Maryland ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Gardiner,  Lorenzo Alfonso MM **  ~  N/A	Steward	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Covington, Louisiana ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Names starting with " H " " and " " I " " There Were None Lost ! "

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Johnson,  William MM **  ~  N/A	Able-Bodied Seaman	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Orange, Texas ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Names starting with " K " " and " " L " " There Were None Lost ! "

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Mahoney,  John Edgar MM **  ~	Ordinary Seaman	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Baltimore, Maryland " Click Here " ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Maryland National WW II Memorial ~ ~ ~ Annapolis, Maryland ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942
Minzey,  Vernon William MM **  ~  N/A " Family Link Included "	Radio Officer	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Mobile, Alabama ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Nevette,  St. Julian Earl MM **  ~  N/A	Messman	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Charleston, South Carolina ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942
Newton,  Charles Harrison MM **  ~  N/A	Third Assistant Engineer	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Washington County, Maine " Click Here " ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Names starting with " O " ~ " P " " and " " Q " " There Were None Lost ! "

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Roby,  George Clinton MM **  ~  N/A	Wiper	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Chicago, Illinois ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Names starting with " S " " There Were None Lost ! "

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Toom,  Alexander MM **  ~  N/A	Oiler	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Tallin, Estonia ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Names starting with " U " " and " " V " " There Were None Lost ! "

Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards ~ Photos Notes ( If Available )	Military Rank	Branch of Service	Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing	Cemetery / Memorial	For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below
Williams,  Edward Calderwood MM **  ~  N/A	Wiper	" Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ U.S. Merchant Marine	Aroostook County, Maine " Click Here " ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action	Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph	~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ January 24, 1942

Last Names starting with " X " ~ " Y " " and " " Z " " There Were None Lost ! "

Email any questions or comments to:

Russ Pickett

( russpickde@comcast.net )