Alfred Edgar Distelhurst, Jr. was born in North Carolina in 1916 to Alfred Edgar Distelhurst, Sr. and Amanda Firux Distelhurst.
Alfred and his parents lived in New York until his mother died when he was nine. Alfred's father remarried to a woman named Ruby Hamilton, and Alfred Sr. (Edgar) and Ruby had two daughters, Dorothy Ann and Martha Jane.
In 1934, while Alfred was in Florida after having run away from home, his little sister Dorothy was abducted and murdered. Alfred returned home to be with his grieving family until he decided to follow his dream of being out on the sea, taking a trip to Egypt before the war.
During the early years of World War II, Alfred decided to join the US Maritime Training Station and became a Merchant Marine. He proudly served his country while being out on the ocean, which was his passion.
On January 8th, 1943, Alfred was a part of the crew on the SS Broad Arrow, one of twelve ships in a convoy transporting Navy fuel oil from Trinidad to Rio De Janeiro. Shortly before midnight, the convoy was torpedoed by a German submarine. Broad Arrow was hit first. Three other ships were hit and sank, while Broad Arrow was the last to sink. Only one man survived, and 23 were lost, including Alfred. He was 26 years old.
Alfred was survived by his father, Edgar; stepmother, Ruby; and sister, Martha. He was predeceased by his mother, Amanda (1926); infant brother (1922); and little sister, Dorothy (1934).
Alfred and his parents lived in New York until his mother died when he was nine. Alfred's father remarried to a woman named Ruby Hamilton, and Alfred Sr. (Edgar) and Ruby had two daughters, Dorothy Ann and Martha Jane.
In 1934, while Alfred was in Florida after having run away from home, his little sister Dorothy was abducted and murdered. Alfred returned home to be with his grieving family until he decided to follow his dream of being out on the sea, taking a trip to Egypt before the war.
During the early years of World War II, Alfred decided to join the US Maritime Training Station and became a Merchant Marine. He proudly served his country while being out on the ocean, which was his passion.
On January 8th, 1943, Alfred was a part of the crew on the SS Broad Arrow, one of twelve ships in a convoy transporting Navy fuel oil from Trinidad to Rio De Janeiro. Shortly before midnight, the convoy was torpedoed by a German submarine. Broad Arrow was hit first. Three other ships were hit and sank, while Broad Arrow was the last to sink. Only one man survived, and 23 were lost, including Alfred. He was 26 years old.
Alfred was survived by his father, Edgar; stepmother, Ruby; and sister, Martha. He was predeceased by his mother, Amanda (1926); infant brother (1922); and little sister, Dorothy (1934).
Alfred Edgar Distelhurst, Jr. was born in North Carolina in 1916 to Alfred Edgar Distelhurst, Sr. and Amanda Firux Distelhurst.
Alfred and his parents lived in New York until his mother died when he was nine. Alfred's father remarried to a woman named Ruby Hamilton, and Alfred Sr. (Edgar) and Ruby had two daughters, Dorothy Ann and Martha Jane.
In 1934, while Alfred was in Florida after having run away from home, his little sister Dorothy was abducted and murdered. Alfred returned home to be with his grieving family until he decided to follow his dream of being out on the sea, taking a trip to Egypt before the war.
During the early years of World War II, Alfred decided to join the US Maritime Training Station and became a Merchant Marine. He proudly served his country while being out on the ocean, which was his passion.
On January 8th, 1943, Alfred was a part of the crew on the SS Broad Arrow, one of twelve ships in a convoy transporting Navy fuel oil from Trinidad to Rio De Janeiro. Shortly before midnight, the convoy was torpedoed by a German submarine. Broad Arrow was hit first. Three other ships were hit and sank, while Broad Arrow was the last to sink. Only one man survived, and 23 were lost, including Alfred. He was 26 years old.
Alfred was survived by his father, Edgar; stepmother, Ruby; and sister, Martha. He was predeceased by his mother, Amanda (1926); infant brother (1922); and little sister, Dorothy (1934).
Alfred and his parents lived in New York until his mother died when he was nine. Alfred's father remarried to a woman named Ruby Hamilton, and Alfred Sr. (Edgar) and Ruby had two daughters, Dorothy Ann and Martha Jane.
In 1934, while Alfred was in Florida after having run away from home, his little sister Dorothy was abducted and murdered. Alfred returned home to be with his grieving family until he decided to follow his dream of being out on the sea, taking a trip to Egypt before the war.
During the early years of World War II, Alfred decided to join the US Maritime Training Station and became a Merchant Marine. He proudly served his country while being out on the ocean, which was his passion.
On January 8th, 1943, Alfred was a part of the crew on the SS Broad Arrow, one of twelve ships in a convoy transporting Navy fuel oil from Trinidad to Rio De Janeiro. Shortly before midnight, the convoy was torpedoed by a German submarine. Broad Arrow was hit first. Three other ships were hit and sank, while Broad Arrow was the last to sink. Only one man survived, and 23 were lost, including Alfred. He was 26 years old.
Alfred was survived by his father, Edgar; stepmother, Ruby; and sister, Martha. He was predeceased by his mother, Amanda (1926); infant brother (1922); and little sister, Dorothy (1934).
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