U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 216483
Significant Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: none listed
Harry S. Alexander signed on the SS Maiden Creek as 'Fireman/Watertender'. Built in 1919, the ship was an American-owned WWI cargo vessel, commonly called a 'Hog Islander.'
November 11, 1942. Mr. Alexander was on board as the Maiden Creek left New York with a cargo of barrels of aviation gasoline, bound for an Army Air Corps airfield in Greenland.
December 15, 1942. After a scheduled stop on the return trip to New York, the Maiden Creek left Botwood Newfoundland. Sailing in convoy, they encountered a violent storm and the ship was unable to keep up. On the 19th, it was diverted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving on the 22nd. Upon inspection, extensive flooding was found in various areas of the vessel, and the cargo of ore concentrates had shifted, causing the ship to list.
December 27, 1942. After pumping out and securing all areas, except the number 1 hold, which could not be pumped due to the nature of the cargo, the ship left Halifax with 14 other vessels. On the 28th, the ships joined Convoy ON-152, bound for New York. As the convoy was nearing its destination, rough weather and turbulent seas resumed.
December 31, 1942. The hatch covers for both number 1 and number 2 holds were found to be leaking, eventually causing the ship to take on enough water to bring the propeller and rudder out of the water.
At this point, with the Maiden Creek virtually adrift, they were about 70 miles south of Block Island (Rhode Island, USA). Around 5:00 pm, an SOS was sent out and the order was given to abandon ship. The number 3 lifeboat was launched first with 18 crew members, including Harry S. Alexander, and 5 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. A second lifeboat was launched about 30 minutes later with all but two of the remaining men, for a total of 31. The two Able Seamen who were still on the Maiden Creek were not able to make it down to the lifeboats; one drowned when he fell into the water and the other went down with the ship.
Aside from the storm and heavy sea, night was beginning to fall, making it all but impossible for the two lifeboats to stay together, and eventually they lost all contact with each other.
January 3, 1943. Late in the day, the MS Staghound was able to finally rescue the 31 men in the second lifeboat that was launched.
The first lifeboat (number 3), with Harry S. Alexander and 22 other men, was never found.
Service No: Z 216483
Significant Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: none listed
Harry S. Alexander signed on the SS Maiden Creek as 'Fireman/Watertender'. Built in 1919, the ship was an American-owned WWI cargo vessel, commonly called a 'Hog Islander.'
November 11, 1942. Mr. Alexander was on board as the Maiden Creek left New York with a cargo of barrels of aviation gasoline, bound for an Army Air Corps airfield in Greenland.
December 15, 1942. After a scheduled stop on the return trip to New York, the Maiden Creek left Botwood Newfoundland. Sailing in convoy, they encountered a violent storm and the ship was unable to keep up. On the 19th, it was diverted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving on the 22nd. Upon inspection, extensive flooding was found in various areas of the vessel, and the cargo of ore concentrates had shifted, causing the ship to list.
December 27, 1942. After pumping out and securing all areas, except the number 1 hold, which could not be pumped due to the nature of the cargo, the ship left Halifax with 14 other vessels. On the 28th, the ships joined Convoy ON-152, bound for New York. As the convoy was nearing its destination, rough weather and turbulent seas resumed.
December 31, 1942. The hatch covers for both number 1 and number 2 holds were found to be leaking, eventually causing the ship to take on enough water to bring the propeller and rudder out of the water.
At this point, with the Maiden Creek virtually adrift, they were about 70 miles south of Block Island (Rhode Island, USA). Around 5:00 pm, an SOS was sent out and the order was given to abandon ship. The number 3 lifeboat was launched first with 18 crew members, including Harry S. Alexander, and 5 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. A second lifeboat was launched about 30 minutes later with all but two of the remaining men, for a total of 31. The two Able Seamen who were still on the Maiden Creek were not able to make it down to the lifeboats; one drowned when he fell into the water and the other went down with the ship.
Aside from the storm and heavy sea, night was beginning to fall, making it all but impossible for the two lifeboats to stay together, and eventually they lost all contact with each other.
January 3, 1943. Late in the day, the MS Staghound was able to finally rescue the 31 men in the second lifeboat that was launched.
The first lifeboat (number 3), with Harry S. Alexander and 22 other men, was never found.
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 216483
Significant Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: none listed
Harry S. Alexander signed on the SS Maiden Creek as 'Fireman/Watertender'. Built in 1919, the ship was an American-owned WWI cargo vessel, commonly called a 'Hog Islander.'
November 11, 1942. Mr. Alexander was on board as the Maiden Creek left New York with a cargo of barrels of aviation gasoline, bound for an Army Air Corps airfield in Greenland.
December 15, 1942. After a scheduled stop on the return trip to New York, the Maiden Creek left Botwood Newfoundland. Sailing in convoy, they encountered a violent storm and the ship was unable to keep up. On the 19th, it was diverted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving on the 22nd. Upon inspection, extensive flooding was found in various areas of the vessel, and the cargo of ore concentrates had shifted, causing the ship to list.
December 27, 1942. After pumping out and securing all areas, except the number 1 hold, which could not be pumped due to the nature of the cargo, the ship left Halifax with 14 other vessels. On the 28th, the ships joined Convoy ON-152, bound for New York. As the convoy was nearing its destination, rough weather and turbulent seas resumed.
December 31, 1942. The hatch covers for both number 1 and number 2 holds were found to be leaking, eventually causing the ship to take on enough water to bring the propeller and rudder out of the water.
At this point, with the Maiden Creek virtually adrift, they were about 70 miles south of Block Island (Rhode Island, USA). Around 5:00 pm, an SOS was sent out and the order was given to abandon ship. The number 3 lifeboat was launched first with 18 crew members, including Harry S. Alexander, and 5 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. A second lifeboat was launched about 30 minutes later with all but two of the remaining men, for a total of 31. The two Able Seamen who were still on the Maiden Creek were not able to make it down to the lifeboats; one drowned when he fell into the water and the other went down with the ship.
Aside from the storm and heavy sea, night was beginning to fall, making it all but impossible for the two lifeboats to stay together, and eventually they lost all contact with each other.
January 3, 1943. Late in the day, the MS Staghound was able to finally rescue the 31 men in the second lifeboat that was launched.
The first lifeboat (number 3), with Harry S. Alexander and 22 other men, was never found.
Service No: Z 216483
Significant Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: none listed
Harry S. Alexander signed on the SS Maiden Creek as 'Fireman/Watertender'. Built in 1919, the ship was an American-owned WWI cargo vessel, commonly called a 'Hog Islander.'
November 11, 1942. Mr. Alexander was on board as the Maiden Creek left New York with a cargo of barrels of aviation gasoline, bound for an Army Air Corps airfield in Greenland.
December 15, 1942. After a scheduled stop on the return trip to New York, the Maiden Creek left Botwood Newfoundland. Sailing in convoy, they encountered a violent storm and the ship was unable to keep up. On the 19th, it was diverted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving on the 22nd. Upon inspection, extensive flooding was found in various areas of the vessel, and the cargo of ore concentrates had shifted, causing the ship to list.
December 27, 1942. After pumping out and securing all areas, except the number 1 hold, which could not be pumped due to the nature of the cargo, the ship left Halifax with 14 other vessels. On the 28th, the ships joined Convoy ON-152, bound for New York. As the convoy was nearing its destination, rough weather and turbulent seas resumed.
December 31, 1942. The hatch covers for both number 1 and number 2 holds were found to be leaking, eventually causing the ship to take on enough water to bring the propeller and rudder out of the water.
At this point, with the Maiden Creek virtually adrift, they were about 70 miles south of Block Island (Rhode Island, USA). Around 5:00 pm, an SOS was sent out and the order was given to abandon ship. The number 3 lifeboat was launched first with 18 crew members, including Harry S. Alexander, and 5 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. A second lifeboat was launched about 30 minutes later with all but two of the remaining men, for a total of 31. The two Able Seamen who were still on the Maiden Creek were not able to make it down to the lifeboats; one drowned when he fell into the water and the other went down with the ship.
Aside from the storm and heavy sea, night was beginning to fall, making it all but impossible for the two lifeboats to stay together, and eventually they lost all contact with each other.
January 3, 1943. Late in the day, the MS Staghound was able to finally rescue the 31 men in the second lifeboat that was launched.
The first lifeboat (number 3), with Harry S. Alexander and 22 other men, was never found.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
