USMM
Service No: 220117
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Bayaman, PUERTO RICO
ERNESTO ACEVEDO was a Wiper on the American merchant ship SS Louise Lykes as it left New York on January 2, 1943. With a cargo of war supplies and ammunition bound for Belfast, Ireland, the freighter was sailing without convoy or escort. The ship was armed, however, with one 4-inch, two 3-inch and eight 20mm guns and a 34-man crew of Navy Armed Guards to man them.
On Jan 9th, about 500 nautical miles south-southeast of Iceland, German submarine U-384 was spotted just below the surface of the water. Navy gunners immediately opened fire, their shots straddling the sub but not directly hitting it. Unfortunately, U-384 had already fired off four torpedoes from a distance of 2000 yards, and when two hit there was an explosion so great that the sub had to make a crash dive to avoid being hit by fiery debris. When it surfaced about five minutes later, the only thing floating on the water was debris, the ship had virtually disappeared.
There were 51 Merchant Mariners, 34 US Navy Armed Guards, and possibly 10-20 members of the US Army Signal Corps on board. None survived.
Service No: 220117
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Bayaman, PUERTO RICO
ERNESTO ACEVEDO was a Wiper on the American merchant ship SS Louise Lykes as it left New York on January 2, 1943. With a cargo of war supplies and ammunition bound for Belfast, Ireland, the freighter was sailing without convoy or escort. The ship was armed, however, with one 4-inch, two 3-inch and eight 20mm guns and a 34-man crew of Navy Armed Guards to man them.
On Jan 9th, about 500 nautical miles south-southeast of Iceland, German submarine U-384 was spotted just below the surface of the water. Navy gunners immediately opened fire, their shots straddling the sub but not directly hitting it. Unfortunately, U-384 had already fired off four torpedoes from a distance of 2000 yards, and when two hit there was an explosion so great that the sub had to make a crash dive to avoid being hit by fiery debris. When it surfaced about five minutes later, the only thing floating on the water was debris, the ship had virtually disappeared.
There were 51 Merchant Mariners, 34 US Navy Armed Guards, and possibly 10-20 members of the US Army Signal Corps on board. None survived.
USMM
Service No: 220117
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Bayaman, PUERTO RICO
ERNESTO ACEVEDO was a Wiper on the American merchant ship SS Louise Lykes as it left New York on January 2, 1943. With a cargo of war supplies and ammunition bound for Belfast, Ireland, the freighter was sailing without convoy or escort. The ship was armed, however, with one 4-inch, two 3-inch and eight 20mm guns and a 34-man crew of Navy Armed Guards to man them.
On Jan 9th, about 500 nautical miles south-southeast of Iceland, German submarine U-384 was spotted just below the surface of the water. Navy gunners immediately opened fire, their shots straddling the sub but not directly hitting it. Unfortunately, U-384 had already fired off four torpedoes from a distance of 2000 yards, and when two hit there was an explosion so great that the sub had to make a crash dive to avoid being hit by fiery debris. When it surfaced about five minutes later, the only thing floating on the water was debris, the ship had virtually disappeared.
There were 51 Merchant Mariners, 34 US Navy Armed Guards, and possibly 10-20 members of the US Army Signal Corps on board. None survived.
Service No: 220117
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Bayaman, PUERTO RICO
ERNESTO ACEVEDO was a Wiper on the American merchant ship SS Louise Lykes as it left New York on January 2, 1943. With a cargo of war supplies and ammunition bound for Belfast, Ireland, the freighter was sailing without convoy or escort. The ship was armed, however, with one 4-inch, two 3-inch and eight 20mm guns and a 34-man crew of Navy Armed Guards to man them.
On Jan 9th, about 500 nautical miles south-southeast of Iceland, German submarine U-384 was spotted just below the surface of the water. Navy gunners immediately opened fire, their shots straddling the sub but not directly hitting it. Unfortunately, U-384 had already fired off four torpedoes from a distance of 2000 yards, and when two hit there was an explosion so great that the sub had to make a crash dive to avoid being hit by fiery debris. When it surfaced about five minutes later, the only thing floating on the water was debris, the ship had virtually disappeared.
There were 51 Merchant Mariners, 34 US Navy Armed Guards, and possibly 10-20 members of the US Army Signal Corps on board. None survived.
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