Richard was the son of James Roscoe Barge and Delia Mae Henderson Barge. He attended Technical "Tech" High School in Atlanta and was part of Company B of the ROTC.
Richard signed on with the U.S. Merchant Marine and became a messman on the steam tanker SS Oklahoma.
In the early hours of March 28, 1945, the Oklahoma was in the Atlantic when it was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-532, captained by Ottoheinrich Junker. It was reported that flames surrounded the ship for a distance of 500 feet and the flaming cargo blazed on the water a mile astern. While 22 men survived, Barge was one of 50 men who perished as the tanker sank.
Richard was 19 years old at the time of his death.
Richard signed on with the U.S. Merchant Marine and became a messman on the steam tanker SS Oklahoma.
In the early hours of March 28, 1945, the Oklahoma was in the Atlantic when it was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-532, captained by Ottoheinrich Junker. It was reported that flames surrounded the ship for a distance of 500 feet and the flaming cargo blazed on the water a mile astern. While 22 men survived, Barge was one of 50 men who perished as the tanker sank.
Richard was 19 years old at the time of his death.
Richard was the son of James Roscoe Barge and Delia Mae Henderson Barge. He attended Technical "Tech" High School in Atlanta and was part of Company B of the ROTC.
Richard signed on with the U.S. Merchant Marine and became a messman on the steam tanker SS Oklahoma.
In the early hours of March 28, 1945, the Oklahoma was in the Atlantic when it was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-532, captained by Ottoheinrich Junker. It was reported that flames surrounded the ship for a distance of 500 feet and the flaming cargo blazed on the water a mile astern. While 22 men survived, Barge was one of 50 men who perished as the tanker sank.
Richard was 19 years old at the time of his death.
Richard signed on with the U.S. Merchant Marine and became a messman on the steam tanker SS Oklahoma.
In the early hours of March 28, 1945, the Oklahoma was in the Atlantic when it was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-532, captained by Ottoheinrich Junker. It was reported that flames surrounded the ship for a distance of 500 feet and the flaming cargo blazed on the water a mile astern. While 22 men survived, Barge was one of 50 men who perished as the tanker sank.
Richard was 19 years old at the time of his death.
Inscription
In memory of Richard T. Barge
U.S. Merchant Marines
He went down with his tanker in the Atlantic.
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