U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 149651
Significant Awards: MARINER'S MEDAL, MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR, ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of Record: Brooklyn, New York
CURT ACKERMAN, age 41, signed on the SS Azalea City in late November 1941 as an Oiler. Azalea City was an American merchant ship, docked at the Port of New York at the time, with an expected departure date of Dec 1st for Norfolk VA. From Norfolk, the ship was expected to sail on Dec 5th for Buenos Aires Argentina via Trinidad.
Mr. Ackerman was on the unarmed, unescorted freighter as it left Trinidad on Feb. 12, 1942 with a cargo of 7806 tons of linseed, bound for Philadelphia. The ship did not arrive as expected and after several months without receiving any kind of notification, the ship was presumed to be 'missing.' The fate of the Azalea City and her 38-man crew was a mystery until after the war when German naval records revealed what had actually happened.
On Feb 21st the ship was spotted by German submarine U-432 in heavy seas about 125 miles east-southeast of Ocean City, Maryland. Two torpedoes were fired, the first one missed but the second hit amidships. A little over an hour later, a third torpedo was fired which struck forward of the bridge, and the Azalea City capsized. It is thought that the cargo of linseed, rather than the torpedo hits, caused the ship to capsize.
There were thirty-eight men on board; none survived.
Service No: Z 149651
Significant Awards: MARINER'S MEDAL, MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR, ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of Record: Brooklyn, New York
CURT ACKERMAN, age 41, signed on the SS Azalea City in late November 1941 as an Oiler. Azalea City was an American merchant ship, docked at the Port of New York at the time, with an expected departure date of Dec 1st for Norfolk VA. From Norfolk, the ship was expected to sail on Dec 5th for Buenos Aires Argentina via Trinidad.
Mr. Ackerman was on the unarmed, unescorted freighter as it left Trinidad on Feb. 12, 1942 with a cargo of 7806 tons of linseed, bound for Philadelphia. The ship did not arrive as expected and after several months without receiving any kind of notification, the ship was presumed to be 'missing.' The fate of the Azalea City and her 38-man crew was a mystery until after the war when German naval records revealed what had actually happened.
On Feb 21st the ship was spotted by German submarine U-432 in heavy seas about 125 miles east-southeast of Ocean City, Maryland. Two torpedoes were fired, the first one missed but the second hit amidships. A little over an hour later, a third torpedo was fired which struck forward of the bridge, and the Azalea City capsized. It is thought that the cargo of linseed, rather than the torpedo hits, caused the ship to capsize.
There were thirty-eight men on board; none survived.
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 149651
Significant Awards: MARINER'S MEDAL, MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR, ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of Record: Brooklyn, New York
CURT ACKERMAN, age 41, signed on the SS Azalea City in late November 1941 as an Oiler. Azalea City was an American merchant ship, docked at the Port of New York at the time, with an expected departure date of Dec 1st for Norfolk VA. From Norfolk, the ship was expected to sail on Dec 5th for Buenos Aires Argentina via Trinidad.
Mr. Ackerman was on the unarmed, unescorted freighter as it left Trinidad on Feb. 12, 1942 with a cargo of 7806 tons of linseed, bound for Philadelphia. The ship did not arrive as expected and after several months without receiving any kind of notification, the ship was presumed to be 'missing.' The fate of the Azalea City and her 38-man crew was a mystery until after the war when German naval records revealed what had actually happened.
On Feb 21st the ship was spotted by German submarine U-432 in heavy seas about 125 miles east-southeast of Ocean City, Maryland. Two torpedoes were fired, the first one missed but the second hit amidships. A little over an hour later, a third torpedo was fired which struck forward of the bridge, and the Azalea City capsized. It is thought that the cargo of linseed, rather than the torpedo hits, caused the ship to capsize.
There were thirty-eight men on board; none survived.
Service No: Z 149651
Significant Awards: MARINER'S MEDAL, MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR, ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of Record: Brooklyn, New York
CURT ACKERMAN, age 41, signed on the SS Azalea City in late November 1941 as an Oiler. Azalea City was an American merchant ship, docked at the Port of New York at the time, with an expected departure date of Dec 1st for Norfolk VA. From Norfolk, the ship was expected to sail on Dec 5th for Buenos Aires Argentina via Trinidad.
Mr. Ackerman was on the unarmed, unescorted freighter as it left Trinidad on Feb. 12, 1942 with a cargo of 7806 tons of linseed, bound for Philadelphia. The ship did not arrive as expected and after several months without receiving any kind of notification, the ship was presumed to be 'missing.' The fate of the Azalea City and her 38-man crew was a mystery until after the war when German naval records revealed what had actually happened.
On Feb 21st the ship was spotted by German submarine U-432 in heavy seas about 125 miles east-southeast of Ocean City, Maryland. Two torpedoes were fired, the first one missed but the second hit amidships. A little over an hour later, a third torpedo was fired which struck forward of the bridge, and the Azalea City capsized. It is thought that the cargo of linseed, rather than the torpedo hits, caused the ship to capsize.
There were thirty-eight men on board; none survived.
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