Info from various crew lists: Born about 1905 in the Philippines, Mr. Acuning's first trip as a crewman on an American merchant ship appears to be in 1927 on the SS West Calera. He is listed as Messboy, 22 years old, 5'6" tall and weighed 118 pounds.
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U. S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 34075
Filipino/Male
Significant Awards: MARINER’S MEDAL
MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR
ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of record: Panitan, Capiz, PI
On Dec 1, 1942, Convoy MKF-3, comprised of 26 ships, was enroute from Gibraltar to New York. Pantryman, CERILO ACUNING, was on one of those ships, the SS Coamo, a steam-powered passenger ship that had been time chartered for troop transport by the US Army. As they approached the coast of Ireland, Coamo and another ship, Mariposa, were ordered to leave the convoy and continue to New York via a different route. On the 2nd, German submarine U-604 sighted Coamo and followed her for 10 hours before firing a single torpedo from a distance of about 800 meters. Coamo was hit under the bridge and began to sink immediately. U-604 log entry describes Coamo in detail and indicates that there were at least three life rafts of survivors. They were never seen again, probably owing to a gale that raked the area between Dec 3rd and the 6th, making survival in the north Atlantic all but impossible.
There were 133 Merchant Marines, 37 U.S. Navy Armed Guards and 16 British Army passengers on board; none survived. Of the many US flag merchant ships that were torpedoed and sunk, this was the largest merchant crew lost during World War II.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U. S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 34075
Filipino/Male
Significant Awards: MARINER’S MEDAL
MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR
ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of record: Panitan, Capiz, PI
On Dec 1, 1942, Convoy MKF-3, comprised of 26 ships, was enroute from Gibraltar to New York. Pantryman, CERILO ACUNING, was on one of those ships, the SS Coamo, a steam-powered passenger ship that had been time chartered for troop transport by the US Army. As they approached the coast of Ireland, Coamo and another ship, Mariposa, were ordered to leave the convoy and continue to New York via a different route. On the 2nd, German submarine U-604 sighted Coamo and followed her for 10 hours before firing a single torpedo from a distance of about 800 meters. Coamo was hit under the bridge and began to sink immediately. U-604 log entry describes Coamo in detail and indicates that there were at least three life rafts of survivors. They were never seen again, probably owing to a gale that raked the area between Dec 3rd and the 6th, making survival in the north Atlantic all but impossible.
There were 133 Merchant Marines, 37 U.S. Navy Armed Guards and 16 British Army passengers on board; none survived. Of the many US flag merchant ships that were torpedoed and sunk, this was the largest merchant crew lost during World War II.
Info from various crew lists: Born about 1905 in the Philippines, Mr. Acuning's first trip as a crewman on an American merchant ship appears to be in 1927 on the SS West Calera. He is listed as Messboy, 22 years old, 5'6" tall and weighed 118 pounds.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U. S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 34075
Filipino/Male
Significant Awards: MARINER’S MEDAL
MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR
ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of record: Panitan, Capiz, PI
On Dec 1, 1942, Convoy MKF-3, comprised of 26 ships, was enroute from Gibraltar to New York. Pantryman, CERILO ACUNING, was on one of those ships, the SS Coamo, a steam-powered passenger ship that had been time chartered for troop transport by the US Army. As they approached the coast of Ireland, Coamo and another ship, Mariposa, were ordered to leave the convoy and continue to New York via a different route. On the 2nd, German submarine U-604 sighted Coamo and followed her for 10 hours before firing a single torpedo from a distance of about 800 meters. Coamo was hit under the bridge and began to sink immediately. U-604 log entry describes Coamo in detail and indicates that there were at least three life rafts of survivors. They were never seen again, probably owing to a gale that raked the area between Dec 3rd and the 6th, making survival in the north Atlantic all but impossible.
There were 133 Merchant Marines, 37 U.S. Navy Armed Guards and 16 British Army passengers on board; none survived. Of the many US flag merchant ships that were torpedoed and sunk, this was the largest merchant crew lost during World War II.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U. S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 34075
Filipino/Male
Significant Awards: MARINER’S MEDAL
MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR
ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MERCHANT MARINE BAR
Address of record: Panitan, Capiz, PI
On Dec 1, 1942, Convoy MKF-3, comprised of 26 ships, was enroute from Gibraltar to New York. Pantryman, CERILO ACUNING, was on one of those ships, the SS Coamo, a steam-powered passenger ship that had been time chartered for troop transport by the US Army. As they approached the coast of Ireland, Coamo and another ship, Mariposa, were ordered to leave the convoy and continue to New York via a different route. On the 2nd, German submarine U-604 sighted Coamo and followed her for 10 hours before firing a single torpedo from a distance of about 800 meters. Coamo was hit under the bridge and began to sink immediately. U-604 log entry describes Coamo in detail and indicates that there were at least three life rafts of survivors. They were never seen again, probably owing to a gale that raked the area between Dec 3rd and the 6th, making survival in the north Atlantic all but impossible.
There were 133 Merchant Marines, 37 U.S. Navy Armed Guards and 16 British Army passengers on board; none survived. Of the many US flag merchant ships that were torpedoed and sunk, this was the largest merchant crew lost during World War II.
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