Parents: Annie S. Patterson and William Alfred Collins, married Apr. 11, 1890 at Brockton, MA
Spouse: Sabrina Mary Doyle, married June 24, 1915 at Boston, MA
Children: Mary M., William J., Herbert Alfred, Ann Louise
Mr. Collins was a sailor before he was 21 years old. On a Certificate of Registration of American Citizen, dated Oct. 9, 1916, his occupation was 'Sailor' and his address (while temporarily in England) was American SS Evangeline.
On Mr. Collins' WWI Draft Registration Card, signed August 1917, can be found, among other information, the following: he was 22 years old, married and had a child, was a sailor, Merchant Marine, employed by Texas Oil Co., and currently was attached to the SS Virginia.
When the 1920 Census was enumerated, Mr. Collins was 25 years old, married, had three children and was a Second Officer in the Merchant Marine. He was listed as 'Chief Mate, Steamships' in the 1930 Census and as 'Chief Ship Officer, Standard Oil Co.' in the 1940 Census.
At the time of his death, he had been a merchant seaman for over 26 years.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: B 89068
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Dorchester, Massachusetts
On Dec 11, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Germany then declared war on the United States and a month later, the first of 21 German submarines (U-Boats) were dispatched to the U.S. with the mission of patrolling the east coast from Maine to the Caribbean. Their goal was to sink merchant ships, and oil tankers were especially prized . At that time, 95% of the oil consumed by the northeast was from the Gulf of Mexico and within six months of their arrival, 609 ships had been sunk and more than 5,000 crewmen and passengers were dead due to U-Boat attacks.
On the morning of March 26, 1942, Walter Flaschenberg, Kapitanleutnant of U-Boat 71, spotted a lone ship just off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC, sailing a zigzag course at 11 knots. Kapitanleutnant Flaschenberg had sunk a Norwegian tanker and an American freighter over the past eight days and now he had another ship in his sights. The SS Dixie Arrow, an American tanker, was unarmed and unescorted, bound for Paulsboro, New Jersey with 86.136 barrels of crude oil from Texas City, Texas. Eight Officers, including Chief Mate William Parker Collins, and 25 crewmen made up the ship's complement
When the two vessels were approximately 12 miles from Diamond Shoals Light Buoy, U-71 fired a spread of torpedoes. The Able Seaman who was at the wheel saw the torpedoes streaking toward them. He called out an alert but it was too late to avoid being hit. Three torpedoes struck the Dixie Arrow within one minute. The first hit amidship, destroying the deckhouse and killing the men who were on deck. The other two hit a little further back, breaking the ship in two. Oil spilled out everywhere and immediately burst into flames that covered the front of the ship and sent clouds of smoke thousands of feet into the sky. Only two lifeboats survived the attack and one of those was lost during, or immediately after, it was launched. The USS Tarbell (DD-142) picked up 14 men in the water and eight in the lifeboat and took them to Morehead, NC. The Dixie Arrow sank about two hours after the attack.
William Parker Collins was lost that day, probably as a result of the first torpedo hit. A total of 11 men, out of a complement of 33, were lost.
Spouse: Sabrina Mary Doyle, married June 24, 1915 at Boston, MA
Children: Mary M., William J., Herbert Alfred, Ann Louise
Mr. Collins was a sailor before he was 21 years old. On a Certificate of Registration of American Citizen, dated Oct. 9, 1916, his occupation was 'Sailor' and his address (while temporarily in England) was American SS Evangeline.
On Mr. Collins' WWI Draft Registration Card, signed August 1917, can be found, among other information, the following: he was 22 years old, married and had a child, was a sailor, Merchant Marine, employed by Texas Oil Co., and currently was attached to the SS Virginia.
When the 1920 Census was enumerated, Mr. Collins was 25 years old, married, had three children and was a Second Officer in the Merchant Marine. He was listed as 'Chief Mate, Steamships' in the 1930 Census and as 'Chief Ship Officer, Standard Oil Co.' in the 1940 Census.
At the time of his death, he had been a merchant seaman for over 26 years.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: B 89068
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Dorchester, Massachusetts
On Dec 11, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Germany then declared war on the United States and a month later, the first of 21 German submarines (U-Boats) were dispatched to the U.S. with the mission of patrolling the east coast from Maine to the Caribbean. Their goal was to sink merchant ships, and oil tankers were especially prized . At that time, 95% of the oil consumed by the northeast was from the Gulf of Mexico and within six months of their arrival, 609 ships had been sunk and more than 5,000 crewmen and passengers were dead due to U-Boat attacks.
On the morning of March 26, 1942, Walter Flaschenberg, Kapitanleutnant of U-Boat 71, spotted a lone ship just off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC, sailing a zigzag course at 11 knots. Kapitanleutnant Flaschenberg had sunk a Norwegian tanker and an American freighter over the past eight days and now he had another ship in his sights. The SS Dixie Arrow, an American tanker, was unarmed and unescorted, bound for Paulsboro, New Jersey with 86.136 barrels of crude oil from Texas City, Texas. Eight Officers, including Chief Mate William Parker Collins, and 25 crewmen made up the ship's complement
When the two vessels were approximately 12 miles from Diamond Shoals Light Buoy, U-71 fired a spread of torpedoes. The Able Seaman who was at the wheel saw the torpedoes streaking toward them. He called out an alert but it was too late to avoid being hit. Three torpedoes struck the Dixie Arrow within one minute. The first hit amidship, destroying the deckhouse and killing the men who were on deck. The other two hit a little further back, breaking the ship in two. Oil spilled out everywhere and immediately burst into flames that covered the front of the ship and sent clouds of smoke thousands of feet into the sky. Only two lifeboats survived the attack and one of those was lost during, or immediately after, it was launched. The USS Tarbell (DD-142) picked up 14 men in the water and eight in the lifeboat and took them to Morehead, NC. The Dixie Arrow sank about two hours after the attack.
William Parker Collins was lost that day, probably as a result of the first torpedo hit. A total of 11 men, out of a complement of 33, were lost.
Parents: Annie S. Patterson and William Alfred Collins, married Apr. 11, 1890 at Brockton, MA
Spouse: Sabrina Mary Doyle, married June 24, 1915 at Boston, MA
Children: Mary M., William J., Herbert Alfred, Ann Louise
Mr. Collins was a sailor before he was 21 years old. On a Certificate of Registration of American Citizen, dated Oct. 9, 1916, his occupation was 'Sailor' and his address (while temporarily in England) was American SS Evangeline.
On Mr. Collins' WWI Draft Registration Card, signed August 1917, can be found, among other information, the following: he was 22 years old, married and had a child, was a sailor, Merchant Marine, employed by Texas Oil Co., and currently was attached to the SS Virginia.
When the 1920 Census was enumerated, Mr. Collins was 25 years old, married, had three children and was a Second Officer in the Merchant Marine. He was listed as 'Chief Mate, Steamships' in the 1930 Census and as 'Chief Ship Officer, Standard Oil Co.' in the 1940 Census.
At the time of his death, he had been a merchant seaman for over 26 years.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: B 89068
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Dorchester, Massachusetts
On Dec 11, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Germany then declared war on the United States and a month later, the first of 21 German submarines (U-Boats) were dispatched to the U.S. with the mission of patrolling the east coast from Maine to the Caribbean. Their goal was to sink merchant ships, and oil tankers were especially prized . At that time, 95% of the oil consumed by the northeast was from the Gulf of Mexico and within six months of their arrival, 609 ships had been sunk and more than 5,000 crewmen and passengers were dead due to U-Boat attacks.
On the morning of March 26, 1942, Walter Flaschenberg, Kapitanleutnant of U-Boat 71, spotted a lone ship just off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC, sailing a zigzag course at 11 knots. Kapitanleutnant Flaschenberg had sunk a Norwegian tanker and an American freighter over the past eight days and now he had another ship in his sights. The SS Dixie Arrow, an American tanker, was unarmed and unescorted, bound for Paulsboro, New Jersey with 86.136 barrels of crude oil from Texas City, Texas. Eight Officers, including Chief Mate William Parker Collins, and 25 crewmen made up the ship's complement
When the two vessels were approximately 12 miles from Diamond Shoals Light Buoy, U-71 fired a spread of torpedoes. The Able Seaman who was at the wheel saw the torpedoes streaking toward them. He called out an alert but it was too late to avoid being hit. Three torpedoes struck the Dixie Arrow within one minute. The first hit amidship, destroying the deckhouse and killing the men who were on deck. The other two hit a little further back, breaking the ship in two. Oil spilled out everywhere and immediately burst into flames that covered the front of the ship and sent clouds of smoke thousands of feet into the sky. Only two lifeboats survived the attack and one of those was lost during, or immediately after, it was launched. The USS Tarbell (DD-142) picked up 14 men in the water and eight in the lifeboat and took them to Morehead, NC. The Dixie Arrow sank about two hours after the attack.
William Parker Collins was lost that day, probably as a result of the first torpedo hit. A total of 11 men, out of a complement of 33, were lost.
Spouse: Sabrina Mary Doyle, married June 24, 1915 at Boston, MA
Children: Mary M., William J., Herbert Alfred, Ann Louise
Mr. Collins was a sailor before he was 21 years old. On a Certificate of Registration of American Citizen, dated Oct. 9, 1916, his occupation was 'Sailor' and his address (while temporarily in England) was American SS Evangeline.
On Mr. Collins' WWI Draft Registration Card, signed August 1917, can be found, among other information, the following: he was 22 years old, married and had a child, was a sailor, Merchant Marine, employed by Texas Oil Co., and currently was attached to the SS Virginia.
When the 1920 Census was enumerated, Mr. Collins was 25 years old, married, had three children and was a Second Officer in the Merchant Marine. He was listed as 'Chief Mate, Steamships' in the 1930 Census and as 'Chief Ship Officer, Standard Oil Co.' in the 1940 Census.
At the time of his death, he had been a merchant seaman for over 26 years.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: B 89068
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Dorchester, Massachusetts
On Dec 11, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Germany then declared war on the United States and a month later, the first of 21 German submarines (U-Boats) were dispatched to the U.S. with the mission of patrolling the east coast from Maine to the Caribbean. Their goal was to sink merchant ships, and oil tankers were especially prized . At that time, 95% of the oil consumed by the northeast was from the Gulf of Mexico and within six months of their arrival, 609 ships had been sunk and more than 5,000 crewmen and passengers were dead due to U-Boat attacks.
On the morning of March 26, 1942, Walter Flaschenberg, Kapitanleutnant of U-Boat 71, spotted a lone ship just off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC, sailing a zigzag course at 11 knots. Kapitanleutnant Flaschenberg had sunk a Norwegian tanker and an American freighter over the past eight days and now he had another ship in his sights. The SS Dixie Arrow, an American tanker, was unarmed and unescorted, bound for Paulsboro, New Jersey with 86.136 barrels of crude oil from Texas City, Texas. Eight Officers, including Chief Mate William Parker Collins, and 25 crewmen made up the ship's complement
When the two vessels were approximately 12 miles from Diamond Shoals Light Buoy, U-71 fired a spread of torpedoes. The Able Seaman who was at the wheel saw the torpedoes streaking toward them. He called out an alert but it was too late to avoid being hit. Three torpedoes struck the Dixie Arrow within one minute. The first hit amidship, destroying the deckhouse and killing the men who were on deck. The other two hit a little further back, breaking the ship in two. Oil spilled out everywhere and immediately burst into flames that covered the front of the ship and sent clouds of smoke thousands of feet into the sky. Only two lifeboats survived the attack and one of those was lost during, or immediately after, it was launched. The USS Tarbell (DD-142) picked up 14 men in the water and eight in the lifeboat and took them to Morehead, NC. The Dixie Arrow sank about two hours after the attack.
William Parker Collins was lost that day, probably as a result of the first torpedo hit. A total of 11 men, out of a complement of 33, were lost.
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