Daily Event for February 23, 2013

Nobody wants to be the last man to die in a war, and in Feb. of 1945 the outcome of the European war was almost certain. Many more would die before the war ended in Europe, but on February 23, 1945 the last Allied ship lost to German aircraft would take the lives of twenty-two more merchant sailors.

The Liberty ship Henry Bacon had departed in convoy RA-64 from Murmansk, Russia bound for Gourock, Scotland carrying ballast and nineteen Norwegian refugees being evacuated from the Norwegian county of Finnmark. The voyage was not smooth, storms caused the Henry Bacon to loose sight of the other ships and she straggled behind. Causing further distress to those on board, the steering gear had been damaged by the constant battering the ship had been taking.

At 1100 (GCT) the ship received an alert from one of the escort ships (which was about 50 miles ahead) warning of a possible air attack. Passengers were secured in their quarters and the Armed Guard assumed their combat stations. The ship was making about 10 knots, heading north on a semi zigzag course, hampered by the faulty steering gear. Clear skies and bright sun, usually welcomed, were not an asset to the lone and struggling ship.

About 1500 (GCT) the incoming aircraft were spotted. More than 20 Ju-88s and He-111s of 8./KG 26 commanded by Hauptmann Prinz made a steady, if not speedy attack on the Henry Bacon. Survivors estimated that the aircraft were moving at between 100 and 150 mph and they judged the pilots as being relatively green in combat.

At 1515 hours the master sent a distress signal alerting the convoy that he was under air attack. The aircraft then made what was describes as a broad front formation attack dropping several torpedoes while attempting to avoid the heavy anti-aircraft fire being put up by the Armed Guard. The survivors stated that three aircraft were shot down and seen to crash into the sea, while two others were seen heading toward Norway making smoke and flying low.

Five minutes into the attack one torpedo dropped by a Ju-88 hit the ship on the starboard side at the #5 hatch. The explosion wrecked the steering gear, caused steam pipes to burst, damaged the propeller and rudder and holed the ship, but fortunately no fire was caused. Several bulkheads and seems were split and water began to pour in. The attack continued until 1545 when the aircraft, less one, were seen to head back toward Norway. The remaining aircraft continued to observe the ship, but apparently did not take any further action against her.

A second distress signal was sent at 1531 "torpedoed by aircraft" the signal was picked up by one of the escorts ships as they hurried toward the sinking ship. More than 170 miles west of Bodø, Norway on a cold and rough sea, it would be difficult to survive for long in open boats, even worse for those who were on the raft.

As the ship was being abandoned two of the lifeboats capsized, one was caused by a damaged davit, but it seems that neither of these boats were occupied at the time. All nineteen Norwegians were put into one boat with a few sailors, the remaining crew and Armed Guard got into the other. The lifeboats were now overcrowded so eight men (six Armed Guard and two merchant sailors) gave up their relatively comfortable seats and went aboard a liferaft, they were later joined by three other men they plucked from the sea.

Henry Bacon sank about an hour after she was struck by the torpedo leaving sixty-four people awaiting rescue. It took a few hours, but finally HMS Opportune G-80 and HMS Orwell G-98 arrived and pulled them from the sea. Due to the valiant efforts of the merchant sailors and the U.S. Navy Armed Guard not a single civilian was lost.

This was the swan song for the Luftwaffe during the Battle of the Atlantic, never again would an Allied ship fall under their wings.
© 2013 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com



Roll of Honor
In memory of those who lost their lives in
SS Henry Bacon
"As long as we embrace them in our memory, their spirit will always be with us"

Name
Rate
Service
Allard, Hubert S.
Signalman 3rd Class
United States Navy Reserve
Burr, Mason K.
Seaman 1st Class
United States Navy
Carini, Alfred
Master
Merchant Marine
Cramer, Robert L.
Ordinary Seaman
Merchant Marine
Fubel, Carl D. H.
3rd Mate
Merchant Marine
Funken, Frederick C.
Able Seaman
Merchant Marine
Harlacher, Charles W.
Seaman 1st Class
United States Navy Reserve
*
Haviland, Donald F.
Chief Engineer
Merchant Marine
Hunt, Robert J.
Purser
Merchant Marine
Kearns, Cornelius A.
Cook
Merchant Marine
*
Lammon, Jr., Holcomb
Bosun
Merchant Marine
Martin, Jr., James D.
Ordinary Seaman
Merchant Marine
Mastracci, John W.
Chief Cook
Merchant Marine
Mayden, Donald E.
Seaman 1st Class
United States Navy Reserve
Palmer, Lynn R.
2nd Mate
Merchant Marine
Potvin, Elmer J.
Seaman 1st Class
United States Navy Reserve
Provencal, Joseph E.
3rd Engineer
Merchant Marine
Rubley, Jr., Earl C.
Seaman 1st Class
United States Navy Reserve
Schiescher, Donald P.
Ordinary Seaman
Merchant Marine
Shipka, George W.
Messman
Merchant Marine
Sippola, John C.
Lieutenant (j.g.)
United States Navy Reserve
Snyder, Edgar B.
2nd Engineer
Merchant Marine
*
Awarded U.S. Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal (Posthumously).


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