Biography researched and written by Evelyn Park Blalock. Special thanks to Mary Collier. Please do not publish elsewhere without providing full and proper credit.
-----
Stanley L. Gibson was born on 15 June 1922 to Luther and Tillie Gibson. He was a resident of St. Louis, Missouri.
On 14 February 1942, Stanley and a group of St. Louis friends (including Lawrence L. Kennedy, Robert Frank McGee and James G. Thompson) enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service and reported for 15 weeks of basic training as a Merchant Marine at the Bayboro Harbor Maritime Base in St. Petersburg, Florida. After training, they were assigned to the S.S. Hermis -- an Italian ship (originally named the Ada O) that had been seized at New Orleans by the U.S. government, renamed and registered by the U.S. War Shipping Administration in Panama, and placed with the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company on 12 May 1942 under GAA agreement.
The Hermis, sailing with a Panamanian flag on its first voyage serving in the capacity of military supply and support for U.S. troops, was following its intended route from New Orleans to Aruba via Tampa, Panama City and La Guaira (Venezuela). Stanley served as a coal passer for this voyage. Almost ten days out, at 21:15 ship's time on 6 June 1942, the unescorted and unarmed ship (Ship's Master Thomas Stanborough) was torpedoed by U-158. One torpedo struck on the port side just forward of the bridge and a few minutes later a second torpedo hit on the port side at #3 hatch. The engines could not be stopped due to the deck valve being broken, so the vessel continued circling at 8 knots. The U-boat surfaced and shelled the ship, setting her on fire. One round hit and destroyed the wheelhouse and chart room. The burning Hermis was observed still afloat 12 hours later with the stern out of the water, but sank shortly afterwards. The position at this time was 23° 08'N, 84° 42'W - Grid DM 4174, west of Havana, Cuba.
The crew abandoned ship and was forced to take turns in the limited and mostly damaged lifeboats hoping for rescue. Crew members rotated positions in and out of the water. After daybreak the next morning, sharks were attracted to the waters and the result was one fatality, Stanley. The forty-seven survivors, twelve of them injured, were picked up by the U.S. Army transport Toloa between 0730 and 1130 EWT on 7 June 1942 and taken to Kingston, Jamaica.
The Gibsons received a telegram on their son's twentieth birthday, 15 June 1942, stating that their son was missing while in the service of his country and in the performance of his duties. Sadly, they learned the full details of their son's horrific death when a crewmate granted an interview to a St. Louis newspaper, describing the shark attack that took the life of their only child.
Stanley's service aboard the 'Hermis' is sufficient to have him classified as an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, pursuant to PL 95-202 for 'Service in the American Merchant Marine in oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945.' As such, he is eligible for a marker supplied by the Veterans' Administration, to be placed in a cemetery of his family's choosing. Alternatively, his family could choose to have his name added to one of the memorials maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Sources for description of the attack on the S.S. Hermis:
Personal account by Thomas Stanborough, Ship's Master
Gasconade County Republican (Owensville, MO), 1942-08-13
German and American Maritime logs of the event
More about U-158: German U-boat 158 was a very successful enemy craft operating in the waters around the United States in 1942. Captained by Erwin Rostin, it claimed 17 merchant ships sunk and 2 damaged. It's career of terror ended on 30 June 1942 in the North Atlantic west of Bermuda, in position 32.50N, 67.28W. It was sunk by depth charges from a US Mariner aircraft (VP-74 USN/P-1). All 54 hands onboard were lost.
Click here to view the memorials of other crew members aboard the S.S. Hermis.
-----
Stanley L. Gibson was born on 15 June 1922 to Luther and Tillie Gibson. He was a resident of St. Louis, Missouri.
On 14 February 1942, Stanley and a group of St. Louis friends (including Lawrence L. Kennedy, Robert Frank McGee and James G. Thompson) enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service and reported for 15 weeks of basic training as a Merchant Marine at the Bayboro Harbor Maritime Base in St. Petersburg, Florida. After training, they were assigned to the S.S. Hermis -- an Italian ship (originally named the Ada O) that had been seized at New Orleans by the U.S. government, renamed and registered by the U.S. War Shipping Administration in Panama, and placed with the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company on 12 May 1942 under GAA agreement.
The Hermis, sailing with a Panamanian flag on its first voyage serving in the capacity of military supply and support for U.S. troops, was following its intended route from New Orleans to Aruba via Tampa, Panama City and La Guaira (Venezuela). Stanley served as a coal passer for this voyage. Almost ten days out, at 21:15 ship's time on 6 June 1942, the unescorted and unarmed ship (Ship's Master Thomas Stanborough) was torpedoed by U-158. One torpedo struck on the port side just forward of the bridge and a few minutes later a second torpedo hit on the port side at #3 hatch. The engines could not be stopped due to the deck valve being broken, so the vessel continued circling at 8 knots. The U-boat surfaced and shelled the ship, setting her on fire. One round hit and destroyed the wheelhouse and chart room. The burning Hermis was observed still afloat 12 hours later with the stern out of the water, but sank shortly afterwards. The position at this time was 23° 08'N, 84° 42'W - Grid DM 4174, west of Havana, Cuba.
The crew abandoned ship and was forced to take turns in the limited and mostly damaged lifeboats hoping for rescue. Crew members rotated positions in and out of the water. After daybreak the next morning, sharks were attracted to the waters and the result was one fatality, Stanley. The forty-seven survivors, twelve of them injured, were picked up by the U.S. Army transport Toloa between 0730 and 1130 EWT on 7 June 1942 and taken to Kingston, Jamaica.
The Gibsons received a telegram on their son's twentieth birthday, 15 June 1942, stating that their son was missing while in the service of his country and in the performance of his duties. Sadly, they learned the full details of their son's horrific death when a crewmate granted an interview to a St. Louis newspaper, describing the shark attack that took the life of their only child.
Stanley's service aboard the 'Hermis' is sufficient to have him classified as an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, pursuant to PL 95-202 for 'Service in the American Merchant Marine in oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945.' As such, he is eligible for a marker supplied by the Veterans' Administration, to be placed in a cemetery of his family's choosing. Alternatively, his family could choose to have his name added to one of the memorials maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Sources for description of the attack on the S.S. Hermis:
Personal account by Thomas Stanborough, Ship's Master
Gasconade County Republican (Owensville, MO), 1942-08-13
German and American Maritime logs of the event
More about U-158: German U-boat 158 was a very successful enemy craft operating in the waters around the United States in 1942. Captained by Erwin Rostin, it claimed 17 merchant ships sunk and 2 damaged. It's career of terror ended on 30 June 1942 in the North Atlantic west of Bermuda, in position 32.50N, 67.28W. It was sunk by depth charges from a US Mariner aircraft (VP-74 USN/P-1). All 54 hands onboard were lost.
Click here to view the memorials of other crew members aboard the S.S. Hermis.
Biography researched and written by Evelyn Park Blalock. Special thanks to Mary Collier. Please do not publish elsewhere without providing full and proper credit.
-----
Stanley L. Gibson was born on 15 June 1922 to Luther and Tillie Gibson. He was a resident of St. Louis, Missouri.
On 14 February 1942, Stanley and a group of St. Louis friends (including Lawrence L. Kennedy, Robert Frank McGee and James G. Thompson) enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service and reported for 15 weeks of basic training as a Merchant Marine at the Bayboro Harbor Maritime Base in St. Petersburg, Florida. After training, they were assigned to the S.S. Hermis -- an Italian ship (originally named the Ada O) that had been seized at New Orleans by the U.S. government, renamed and registered by the U.S. War Shipping Administration in Panama, and placed with the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company on 12 May 1942 under GAA agreement.
The Hermis, sailing with a Panamanian flag on its first voyage serving in the capacity of military supply and support for U.S. troops, was following its intended route from New Orleans to Aruba via Tampa, Panama City and La Guaira (Venezuela). Stanley served as a coal passer for this voyage. Almost ten days out, at 21:15 ship's time on 6 June 1942, the unescorted and unarmed ship (Ship's Master Thomas Stanborough) was torpedoed by U-158. One torpedo struck on the port side just forward of the bridge and a few minutes later a second torpedo hit on the port side at #3 hatch. The engines could not be stopped due to the deck valve being broken, so the vessel continued circling at 8 knots. The U-boat surfaced and shelled the ship, setting her on fire. One round hit and destroyed the wheelhouse and chart room. The burning Hermis was observed still afloat 12 hours later with the stern out of the water, but sank shortly afterwards. The position at this time was 23° 08'N, 84° 42'W - Grid DM 4174, west of Havana, Cuba.
The crew abandoned ship and was forced to take turns in the limited and mostly damaged lifeboats hoping for rescue. Crew members rotated positions in and out of the water. After daybreak the next morning, sharks were attracted to the waters and the result was one fatality, Stanley. The forty-seven survivors, twelve of them injured, were picked up by the U.S. Army transport Toloa between 0730 and 1130 EWT on 7 June 1942 and taken to Kingston, Jamaica.
The Gibsons received a telegram on their son's twentieth birthday, 15 June 1942, stating that their son was missing while in the service of his country and in the performance of his duties. Sadly, they learned the full details of their son's horrific death when a crewmate granted an interview to a St. Louis newspaper, describing the shark attack that took the life of their only child.
Stanley's service aboard the 'Hermis' is sufficient to have him classified as an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, pursuant to PL 95-202 for 'Service in the American Merchant Marine in oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945.' As such, he is eligible for a marker supplied by the Veterans' Administration, to be placed in a cemetery of his family's choosing. Alternatively, his family could choose to have his name added to one of the memorials maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Sources for description of the attack on the S.S. Hermis:
Personal account by Thomas Stanborough, Ship's Master
Gasconade County Republican (Owensville, MO), 1942-08-13
German and American Maritime logs of the event
More about U-158: German U-boat 158 was a very successful enemy craft operating in the waters around the United States in 1942. Captained by Erwin Rostin, it claimed 17 merchant ships sunk and 2 damaged. It's career of terror ended on 30 June 1942 in the North Atlantic west of Bermuda, in position 32.50N, 67.28W. It was sunk by depth charges from a US Mariner aircraft (VP-74 USN/P-1). All 54 hands onboard were lost.
Click here to view the memorials of other crew members aboard the S.S. Hermis.
-----
Stanley L. Gibson was born on 15 June 1922 to Luther and Tillie Gibson. He was a resident of St. Louis, Missouri.
On 14 February 1942, Stanley and a group of St. Louis friends (including Lawrence L. Kennedy, Robert Frank McGee and James G. Thompson) enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service and reported for 15 weeks of basic training as a Merchant Marine at the Bayboro Harbor Maritime Base in St. Petersburg, Florida. After training, they were assigned to the S.S. Hermis -- an Italian ship (originally named the Ada O) that had been seized at New Orleans by the U.S. government, renamed and registered by the U.S. War Shipping Administration in Panama, and placed with the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company on 12 May 1942 under GAA agreement.
The Hermis, sailing with a Panamanian flag on its first voyage serving in the capacity of military supply and support for U.S. troops, was following its intended route from New Orleans to Aruba via Tampa, Panama City and La Guaira (Venezuela). Stanley served as a coal passer for this voyage. Almost ten days out, at 21:15 ship's time on 6 June 1942, the unescorted and unarmed ship (Ship's Master Thomas Stanborough) was torpedoed by U-158. One torpedo struck on the port side just forward of the bridge and a few minutes later a second torpedo hit on the port side at #3 hatch. The engines could not be stopped due to the deck valve being broken, so the vessel continued circling at 8 knots. The U-boat surfaced and shelled the ship, setting her on fire. One round hit and destroyed the wheelhouse and chart room. The burning Hermis was observed still afloat 12 hours later with the stern out of the water, but sank shortly afterwards. The position at this time was 23° 08'N, 84° 42'W - Grid DM 4174, west of Havana, Cuba.
The crew abandoned ship and was forced to take turns in the limited and mostly damaged lifeboats hoping for rescue. Crew members rotated positions in and out of the water. After daybreak the next morning, sharks were attracted to the waters and the result was one fatality, Stanley. The forty-seven survivors, twelve of them injured, were picked up by the U.S. Army transport Toloa between 0730 and 1130 EWT on 7 June 1942 and taken to Kingston, Jamaica.
The Gibsons received a telegram on their son's twentieth birthday, 15 June 1942, stating that their son was missing while in the service of his country and in the performance of his duties. Sadly, they learned the full details of their son's horrific death when a crewmate granted an interview to a St. Louis newspaper, describing the shark attack that took the life of their only child.
Stanley's service aboard the 'Hermis' is sufficient to have him classified as an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, pursuant to PL 95-202 for 'Service in the American Merchant Marine in oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945.' As such, he is eligible for a marker supplied by the Veterans' Administration, to be placed in a cemetery of his family's choosing. Alternatively, his family could choose to have his name added to one of the memorials maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Sources for description of the attack on the S.S. Hermis:
Personal account by Thomas Stanborough, Ship's Master
Gasconade County Republican (Owensville, MO), 1942-08-13
German and American Maritime logs of the event
More about U-158: German U-boat 158 was a very successful enemy craft operating in the waters around the United States in 1942. Captained by Erwin Rostin, it claimed 17 merchant ships sunk and 2 damaged. It's career of terror ended on 30 June 1942 in the North Atlantic west of Bermuda, in position 32.50N, 67.28W. It was sunk by depth charges from a US Mariner aircraft (VP-74 USN/P-1). All 54 hands onboard were lost.
Click here to view the memorials of other crew members aboard the S.S. Hermis.
Family Members
Parents
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
