Francis served as a Wiper, S.S. Esso Gettysburg, Merchant Marines during World War II.
He resided in Delco, North Carolina prior to the war.
The S.S. Esso Gettysburg was en-route from Port Arthur, Texas to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a cargo of 120.120 barrels of crude oil and a crew of 72 ( 8 officers, 37 merchant mariners, and 27 U.S. Navy Armed Guards ). They were hit by "two" torpedo's fired by German Submarine U-66 100 miles southeast of Savannah, Georgia.
The "first" torpedo struck the port side between the #6 and #7 tanks, ripped up 25 feet of deck, blew oil 100 feet into the air and disabled the steering gear. The "second" torpedo struck on the port side at the engine room, causing an immediate fire as she began to settle by the stern and listed to port. Oil from the two tanks was spread into the water and was ignited by the second explosion. The flames spread 100 feet on both sides, while smoke rose over 1000 feet in the air. 5 officers, 32 crew men, 20 armed guard perished.
Francis was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Merchant Mariners Medal & the Combat Bar (ribbon), and a Star for his Combat Bar!
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He resided in Delco, North Carolina prior to the war.
The S.S. Esso Gettysburg was en-route from Port Arthur, Texas to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a cargo of 120.120 barrels of crude oil and a crew of 72 ( 8 officers, 37 merchant mariners, and 27 U.S. Navy Armed Guards ). They were hit by "two" torpedo's fired by German Submarine U-66 100 miles southeast of Savannah, Georgia.
The "first" torpedo struck the port side between the #6 and #7 tanks, ripped up 25 feet of deck, blew oil 100 feet into the air and disabled the steering gear. The "second" torpedo struck on the port side at the engine room, causing an immediate fire as she began to settle by the stern and listed to port. Oil from the two tanks was spread into the water and was ignited by the second explosion. The flames spread 100 feet on both sides, while smoke rose over 1000 feet in the air. 5 officers, 32 crew men, 20 armed guard perished.
Francis was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Merchant Mariners Medal & the Combat Bar (ribbon), and a Star for his Combat Bar!
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Francis served as a Wiper, S.S. Esso Gettysburg, Merchant Marines during World War II.
He resided in Delco, North Carolina prior to the war.
The S.S. Esso Gettysburg was en-route from Port Arthur, Texas to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a cargo of 120.120 barrels of crude oil and a crew of 72 ( 8 officers, 37 merchant mariners, and 27 U.S. Navy Armed Guards ). They were hit by "two" torpedo's fired by German Submarine U-66 100 miles southeast of Savannah, Georgia.
The "first" torpedo struck the port side between the #6 and #7 tanks, ripped up 25 feet of deck, blew oil 100 feet into the air and disabled the steering gear. The "second" torpedo struck on the port side at the engine room, causing an immediate fire as she began to settle by the stern and listed to port. Oil from the two tanks was spread into the water and was ignited by the second explosion. The flames spread 100 feet on both sides, while smoke rose over 1000 feet in the air. 5 officers, 32 crew men, 20 armed guard perished.
Francis was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Merchant Mariners Medal & the Combat Bar (ribbon), and a Star for his Combat Bar!
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He resided in Delco, North Carolina prior to the war.
The S.S. Esso Gettysburg was en-route from Port Arthur, Texas to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a cargo of 120.120 barrels of crude oil and a crew of 72 ( 8 officers, 37 merchant mariners, and 27 U.S. Navy Armed Guards ). They were hit by "two" torpedo's fired by German Submarine U-66 100 miles southeast of Savannah, Georgia.
The "first" torpedo struck the port side between the #6 and #7 tanks, ripped up 25 feet of deck, blew oil 100 feet into the air and disabled the steering gear. The "second" torpedo struck on the port side at the engine room, causing an immediate fire as she began to settle by the stern and listed to port. Oil from the two tanks was spread into the water and was ignited by the second explosion. The flames spread 100 feet on both sides, while smoke rose over 1000 feet in the air. 5 officers, 32 crew men, 20 armed guard perished.
Francis was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Merchant Mariners Medal & the Combat Bar (ribbon), and a Star for his Combat Bar!
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
