Ezra served as a Oiler, S.S. W.L. Steed, U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.
He resided in Liberty, Texas prior to the war.
The duties of the Oiler was to make regular rounds, usually every half hour, feeling all of the various bearings on the main engine and oiling them. He also needed to swab the piston rods and valve stems. He also feels the thrust bearing and travels down the shaft alley feeling and oiling the spring bearings and feeling the stern gland and looking to see if sea water is running through.
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.
Ezra 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.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Liberty, Texas prior to the war.
The duties of the Oiler was to make regular rounds, usually every half hour, feeling all of the various bearings on the main engine and oiling them. He also needed to swab the piston rods and valve stems. He also feels the thrust bearing and travels down the shaft alley feeling and oiling the spring bearings and feeling the stern gland and looking to see if sea water is running through.
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.
Ezra 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.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Ezra served as a Oiler, S.S. W.L. Steed, U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.
He resided in Liberty, Texas prior to the war.
The duties of the Oiler was to make regular rounds, usually every half hour, feeling all of the various bearings on the main engine and oiling them. He also needed to swab the piston rods and valve stems. He also feels the thrust bearing and travels down the shaft alley feeling and oiling the spring bearings and feeling the stern gland and looking to see if sea water is running through.
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.
Ezra 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.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Liberty, Texas prior to the war.
The duties of the Oiler was to make regular rounds, usually every half hour, feeling all of the various bearings on the main engine and oiling them. He also needed to swab the piston rods and valve stems. He also feels the thrust bearing and travels down the shaft alley feeling and oiling the spring bearings and feeling the stern gland and looking to see if sea water is running through.
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.
Ezra 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.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
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