Harold served as the Master/Captain, S.S. W.L. Steed, U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.
He resided in Greenbush, Massachusetts prior to the war.
The unescorted & unarmed S.S. W.L. Steed was enroute from Cartagena, Columbia to New York City with a cargo of 65.936 barrels of crude oil.
They were hit by one torpedo fired by " German submarine U-103 " about 90 miles off the mouth of the Delaware River. The torpedo struck the " S.S. W.L. Steed " on the starboard side in the #3 tank and set the ship on fire however the fire was soon extinguished by breaking seas. The submarine surfaced and the 9 officers and 29 crewmen abandoned ship in four lifeboats.
The German submarine then began shelling the tanker with 83 rounds from their deck gun and set her on fire again with 17 hits. The cargo soon exploded, sending flames 500 feet in the air. The W.L. Steed settled by the bow, capsized and sank in about 10 minutes.
Out of the ship's complement of "38", due to a snowstorm with rough seas, only "4" of the crew survived the sinking.
Harold was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of James Aloyisius and Catherine McAvenia, of Suffolk, PA; husband of Anna Florence McAvenia, of Greenbush, MA.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Greenbush, Massachusetts prior to the war.
The unescorted & unarmed S.S. W.L. Steed was enroute from Cartagena, Columbia to New York City with a cargo of 65.936 barrels of crude oil.
They were hit by one torpedo fired by " German submarine U-103 " about 90 miles off the mouth of the Delaware River. The torpedo struck the " S.S. W.L. Steed " on the starboard side in the #3 tank and set the ship on fire however the fire was soon extinguished by breaking seas. The submarine surfaced and the 9 officers and 29 crewmen abandoned ship in four lifeboats.
The German submarine then began shelling the tanker with 83 rounds from their deck gun and set her on fire again with 17 hits. The cargo soon exploded, sending flames 500 feet in the air. The W.L. Steed settled by the bow, capsized and sank in about 10 minutes.
Out of the ship's complement of "38", due to a snowstorm with rough seas, only "4" of the crew survived the sinking.
Harold was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of James Aloyisius and Catherine McAvenia, of Suffolk, PA; husband of Anna Florence McAvenia, of Greenbush, MA.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Harold served as the Master/Captain, S.S. W.L. Steed, U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.
He resided in Greenbush, Massachusetts prior to the war.
The unescorted & unarmed S.S. W.L. Steed was enroute from Cartagena, Columbia to New York City with a cargo of 65.936 barrels of crude oil.
They were hit by one torpedo fired by " German submarine U-103 " about 90 miles off the mouth of the Delaware River. The torpedo struck the " S.S. W.L. Steed " on the starboard side in the #3 tank and set the ship on fire however the fire was soon extinguished by breaking seas. The submarine surfaced and the 9 officers and 29 crewmen abandoned ship in four lifeboats.
The German submarine then began shelling the tanker with 83 rounds from their deck gun and set her on fire again with 17 hits. The cargo soon exploded, sending flames 500 feet in the air. The W.L. Steed settled by the bow, capsized and sank in about 10 minutes.
Out of the ship's complement of "38", due to a snowstorm with rough seas, only "4" of the crew survived the sinking.
Harold was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of James Aloyisius and Catherine McAvenia, of Suffolk, PA; husband of Anna Florence McAvenia, of Greenbush, MA.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Greenbush, Massachusetts prior to the war.
The unescorted & unarmed S.S. W.L. Steed was enroute from Cartagena, Columbia to New York City with a cargo of 65.936 barrels of crude oil.
They were hit by one torpedo fired by " German submarine U-103 " about 90 miles off the mouth of the Delaware River. The torpedo struck the " S.S. W.L. Steed " on the starboard side in the #3 tank and set the ship on fire however the fire was soon extinguished by breaking seas. The submarine surfaced and the 9 officers and 29 crewmen abandoned ship in four lifeboats.
The German submarine then began shelling the tanker with 83 rounds from their deck gun and set her on fire again with 17 hits. The cargo soon exploded, sending flames 500 feet in the air. The W.L. Steed settled by the bow, capsized and sank in about 10 minutes.
Out of the ship's complement of "38", due to a snowstorm with rough seas, only "4" of the crew survived the sinking.
Harold was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of James Aloyisius and Catherine McAvenia, of Suffolk, PA; husband of Anna Florence McAvenia, of Greenbush, MA.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
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