PARENTS: Charles Alva and Emma Lee Dunn O'Neal
SIBLINGS: Katie Lou, Nellie Martha, Winifred (Scootie), Arthur (Grady), Mary Glenda (Jule), Dorothy Celeste, and Bobigene
SPOUSE: Janie Kathryn Osborn
CHILDREN: Patricia Madeline and Lucretia Ellen
Tom was the second of eight children. He had "sand in his shoes," as his brother used to say, and ran away from home a couple of times to "go to sea," only to return after being rejected because he was too young. Tom never lost his love of the sea and eventually he did become a sailor. When the U.S. declared war on Japan, and then on Germany after they had declared war on the U.S., he was proud that as a Merchant Mariner he could contribute to the allied war effort.
Tom was short, had red curly hair and blue eyes, and loved practical jokes.
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U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No. Z 122154
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of record: Norfolk, Virginia
On Feb 19, 1942, Third Engineer WILLLIAM THOMAS O'NEAL was on the American merchant ship, Lake Osweya, as the ship made its way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The unescorted freighter had left New York on the 16th, loaded with goods and supplies for the allied war effort, and was bound for Reykjavik Iceland via Halifax.
Late that night, as they approached Halifax, a British merchant ship, the Empire Seal, was ahead of them when it was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-96. Lake Osweya immediately changed course and began zigzagging in an effort to evade the u-boat, but in the early morning hours of the next day, Feb 20th, U-96 fired one torpedo from a distance of 500 yards, hitting Lake Osweya amidships. The freighter broke in two and sank quickly. Three lifeboats were launched but were never found.
There were 30 Merchant Mariners and nine U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
SIBLINGS: Katie Lou, Nellie Martha, Winifred (Scootie), Arthur (Grady), Mary Glenda (Jule), Dorothy Celeste, and Bobigene
SPOUSE: Janie Kathryn Osborn
CHILDREN: Patricia Madeline and Lucretia Ellen
Tom was the second of eight children. He had "sand in his shoes," as his brother used to say, and ran away from home a couple of times to "go to sea," only to return after being rejected because he was too young. Tom never lost his love of the sea and eventually he did become a sailor. When the U.S. declared war on Japan, and then on Germany after they had declared war on the U.S., he was proud that as a Merchant Mariner he could contribute to the allied war effort.
Tom was short, had red curly hair and blue eyes, and loved practical jokes.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No. Z 122154
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of record: Norfolk, Virginia
On Feb 19, 1942, Third Engineer WILLLIAM THOMAS O'NEAL was on the American merchant ship, Lake Osweya, as the ship made its way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The unescorted freighter had left New York on the 16th, loaded with goods and supplies for the allied war effort, and was bound for Reykjavik Iceland via Halifax.
Late that night, as they approached Halifax, a British merchant ship, the Empire Seal, was ahead of them when it was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-96. Lake Osweya immediately changed course and began zigzagging in an effort to evade the u-boat, but in the early morning hours of the next day, Feb 20th, U-96 fired one torpedo from a distance of 500 yards, hitting Lake Osweya amidships. The freighter broke in two and sank quickly. Three lifeboats were launched but were never found.
There were 30 Merchant Mariners and nine U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
PARENTS: Charles Alva and Emma Lee Dunn O'Neal
SIBLINGS: Katie Lou, Nellie Martha, Winifred (Scootie), Arthur (Grady), Mary Glenda (Jule), Dorothy Celeste, and Bobigene
SPOUSE: Janie Kathryn Osborn
CHILDREN: Patricia Madeline and Lucretia Ellen
Tom was the second of eight children. He had "sand in his shoes," as his brother used to say, and ran away from home a couple of times to "go to sea," only to return after being rejected because he was too young. Tom never lost his love of the sea and eventually he did become a sailor. When the U.S. declared war on Japan, and then on Germany after they had declared war on the U.S., he was proud that as a Merchant Mariner he could contribute to the allied war effort.
Tom was short, had red curly hair and blue eyes, and loved practical jokes.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No. Z 122154
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of record: Norfolk, Virginia
On Feb 19, 1942, Third Engineer WILLLIAM THOMAS O'NEAL was on the American merchant ship, Lake Osweya, as the ship made its way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The unescorted freighter had left New York on the 16th, loaded with goods and supplies for the allied war effort, and was bound for Reykjavik Iceland via Halifax.
Late that night, as they approached Halifax, a British merchant ship, the Empire Seal, was ahead of them when it was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-96. Lake Osweya immediately changed course and began zigzagging in an effort to evade the u-boat, but in the early morning hours of the next day, Feb 20th, U-96 fired one torpedo from a distance of 500 yards, hitting Lake Osweya amidships. The freighter broke in two and sank quickly. Three lifeboats were launched but were never found.
There were 30 Merchant Mariners and nine U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
SIBLINGS: Katie Lou, Nellie Martha, Winifred (Scootie), Arthur (Grady), Mary Glenda (Jule), Dorothy Celeste, and Bobigene
SPOUSE: Janie Kathryn Osborn
CHILDREN: Patricia Madeline and Lucretia Ellen
Tom was the second of eight children. He had "sand in his shoes," as his brother used to say, and ran away from home a couple of times to "go to sea," only to return after being rejected because he was too young. Tom never lost his love of the sea and eventually he did become a sailor. When the U.S. declared war on Japan, and then on Germany after they had declared war on the U.S., he was proud that as a Merchant Mariner he could contribute to the allied war effort.
Tom was short, had red curly hair and blue eyes, and loved practical jokes.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No. Z 122154
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of record: Norfolk, Virginia
On Feb 19, 1942, Third Engineer WILLLIAM THOMAS O'NEAL was on the American merchant ship, Lake Osweya, as the ship made its way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The unescorted freighter had left New York on the 16th, loaded with goods and supplies for the allied war effort, and was bound for Reykjavik Iceland via Halifax.
Late that night, as they approached Halifax, a British merchant ship, the Empire Seal, was ahead of them when it was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-96. Lake Osweya immediately changed course and began zigzagging in an effort to evade the u-boat, but in the early morning hours of the next day, Feb 20th, U-96 fired one torpedo from a distance of 500 yards, hitting Lake Osweya amidships. The freighter broke in two and sank quickly. Three lifeboats were launched but were never found.
There were 30 Merchant Mariners and nine U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
Inscription
In Memory of / WILLIAM THOMAS O'NEAL / 1st Officer Merchant Marines / 1908-1942 / MIA WWII
