John served as a Third Assistant Engineer, S.S. West Lashaway, U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.
He resided in Brooklyn, New York prior to the war.
The S.S. West Lashaway was en route from the Port of Matadi, Africa with a final destination of the Port of Spain, Trinidad with a cargo of 7670 tons of tin, copper, cocoa beans and palm oil and a crew of " 56 " that included " 10 " officers, " 28 " Merchant crewmen, " 9 " Navy armed guards, and " 9 " passengers.
They were hit by two torpedos fired by German Submarine U-66 about 375 miles east of Trinidad. The first torpedo struck amidship forward of the fire room, followed by the second torpedo nearby. The explosions blew off the #3 hatch, destroyed the engine room and the bridge area and flooded the ship so rapidly that she rolled to starboard and sank within one minute. Everyone onboard jumped overboard and swam to rafts that floated free because they had no time to launch the lifeboats.
"38" perished in this sinking including "25" Merchant Mariners, "9" Navy Armed Guards, and "4" passengers.
The " 9 "passengers included a British Customs Official with the last name of Pearson and two missionary families. One of the missionary familes were the Shaw family which included Harvey Shaw, his wife Vera, and their three children Richard, Georgia, and Carol Shaw. Harvey his wife Vera and their 13 year old daughter Georgia all three perished in the sinking. The British Customs Official perished as well.
One of the missionary children on the ship was Robert W. Bell and he later wrote a book titled "In Peril On The Sea - A Personal Remembrance" about his experiences during the sinking and their eventual rescue.
John was one of the Merchant Mariners who 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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He resided in Brooklyn, New York prior to the war.
The S.S. West Lashaway was en route from the Port of Matadi, Africa with a final destination of the Port of Spain, Trinidad with a cargo of 7670 tons of tin, copper, cocoa beans and palm oil and a crew of " 56 " that included " 10 " officers, " 28 " Merchant crewmen, " 9 " Navy armed guards, and " 9 " passengers.
They were hit by two torpedos fired by German Submarine U-66 about 375 miles east of Trinidad. The first torpedo struck amidship forward of the fire room, followed by the second torpedo nearby. The explosions blew off the #3 hatch, destroyed the engine room and the bridge area and flooded the ship so rapidly that she rolled to starboard and sank within one minute. Everyone onboard jumped overboard and swam to rafts that floated free because they had no time to launch the lifeboats.
"38" perished in this sinking including "25" Merchant Mariners, "9" Navy Armed Guards, and "4" passengers.
The " 9 "passengers included a British Customs Official with the last name of Pearson and two missionary families. One of the missionary familes were the Shaw family which included Harvey Shaw, his wife Vera, and their three children Richard, Georgia, and Carol Shaw. Harvey his wife Vera and their 13 year old daughter Georgia all three perished in the sinking. The British Customs Official perished as well.
One of the missionary children on the ship was Robert W. Bell and he later wrote a book titled "In Peril On The Sea - A Personal Remembrance" about his experiences during the sinking and their eventual rescue.
John was one of the Merchant Mariners who 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 )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
John served as a Third Assistant Engineer, S.S. West Lashaway, U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.
He resided in Brooklyn, New York prior to the war.
The S.S. West Lashaway was en route from the Port of Matadi, Africa with a final destination of the Port of Spain, Trinidad with a cargo of 7670 tons of tin, copper, cocoa beans and palm oil and a crew of " 56 " that included " 10 " officers, " 28 " Merchant crewmen, " 9 " Navy armed guards, and " 9 " passengers.
They were hit by two torpedos fired by German Submarine U-66 about 375 miles east of Trinidad. The first torpedo struck amidship forward of the fire room, followed by the second torpedo nearby. The explosions blew off the #3 hatch, destroyed the engine room and the bridge area and flooded the ship so rapidly that she rolled to starboard and sank within one minute. Everyone onboard jumped overboard and swam to rafts that floated free because they had no time to launch the lifeboats.
"38" perished in this sinking including "25" Merchant Mariners, "9" Navy Armed Guards, and "4" passengers.
The " 9 "passengers included a British Customs Official with the last name of Pearson and two missionary families. One of the missionary familes were the Shaw family which included Harvey Shaw, his wife Vera, and their three children Richard, Georgia, and Carol Shaw. Harvey his wife Vera and their 13 year old daughter Georgia all three perished in the sinking. The British Customs Official perished as well.
One of the missionary children on the ship was Robert W. Bell and he later wrote a book titled "In Peril On The Sea - A Personal Remembrance" about his experiences during the sinking and their eventual rescue.
John was one of the Merchant Mariners who 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 Brooklyn, New York prior to the war.
The S.S. West Lashaway was en route from the Port of Matadi, Africa with a final destination of the Port of Spain, Trinidad with a cargo of 7670 tons of tin, copper, cocoa beans and palm oil and a crew of " 56 " that included " 10 " officers, " 28 " Merchant crewmen, " 9 " Navy armed guards, and " 9 " passengers.
They were hit by two torpedos fired by German Submarine U-66 about 375 miles east of Trinidad. The first torpedo struck amidship forward of the fire room, followed by the second torpedo nearby. The explosions blew off the #3 hatch, destroyed the engine room and the bridge area and flooded the ship so rapidly that she rolled to starboard and sank within one minute. Everyone onboard jumped overboard and swam to rafts that floated free because they had no time to launch the lifeboats.
"38" perished in this sinking including "25" Merchant Mariners, "9" Navy Armed Guards, and "4" passengers.
The " 9 "passengers included a British Customs Official with the last name of Pearson and two missionary families. One of the missionary familes were the Shaw family which included Harvey Shaw, his wife Vera, and their three children Richard, Georgia, and Carol Shaw. Harvey his wife Vera and their 13 year old daughter Georgia all three perished in the sinking. The British Customs Official perished as well.
One of the missionary children on the ship was Robert W. Bell and he later wrote a book titled "In Peril On The Sea - A Personal Remembrance" about his experiences during the sinking and their eventual rescue.
John was one of the Merchant Mariners who 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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