Parents: Elizabeth (O'Rourke) and Robert J. BOLE
Siblings: Marguerite, Theodore J., Martha, Mary Rosalie, William J., Thomas, Kenneth, John
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
US Merchant Marine
Class: 1943, King's Point
Service No: Z 240387
Significant Awards: Mariners Medal, Combat Bar, Atlantic War Zone Bar, Victory Medal, Presidential Testimonial Letter.
Address of Record: Drexel Hill, PA
The MS Wichita was an American merchant ship built in 1921 for the US Shipping Board. Originally steam powered (SS), it was converted in 1929 to diesel propulsion (MV). After entering WWII, the ship was equipped with four .50cal guns and one 4inch gun mounted to the stern, and a US Navy Armed Guard crew was routinely assigned to the ship.
In New Orleans, on or about May 21, 1942, Deck Cadet ROBERT JAMES BOLE III signed on the MS Wichita. He was 21 years old. On Sept 1, 1942, after four months and several different ports, Mr. Bole was on board as the Wichita left Takoradi (now part of Ghana) with a load of general cargo. They were finally heading west, bound for St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and then New York.
On the morning of Sept. 19th, the unescorted ship was spotted about 300 miles east of Barbados by German submarine U-516. The freighter was sailing a zigzag course at a speed of about 11 knots when U-156 attacked, firing two torpedoes. Neither hit. The submarine repositioned itself and fired another torpedo, this one hitting between the foremast and the bridge causing the MS Wichita to sink in less than a minute. According to U-516's logbook, the sub surfaced and searched the area but found no survivors or lifeboats.
There were 40 Merchant Mariners and 10 US Navy Armed Guards on board, none survived.
Siblings: Marguerite, Theodore J., Martha, Mary Rosalie, William J., Thomas, Kenneth, John
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
US Merchant Marine
Class: 1943, King's Point
Service No: Z 240387
Significant Awards: Mariners Medal, Combat Bar, Atlantic War Zone Bar, Victory Medal, Presidential Testimonial Letter.
Address of Record: Drexel Hill, PA
The MS Wichita was an American merchant ship built in 1921 for the US Shipping Board. Originally steam powered (SS), it was converted in 1929 to diesel propulsion (MV). After entering WWII, the ship was equipped with four .50cal guns and one 4inch gun mounted to the stern, and a US Navy Armed Guard crew was routinely assigned to the ship.
In New Orleans, on or about May 21, 1942, Deck Cadet ROBERT JAMES BOLE III signed on the MS Wichita. He was 21 years old. On Sept 1, 1942, after four months and several different ports, Mr. Bole was on board as the Wichita left Takoradi (now part of Ghana) with a load of general cargo. They were finally heading west, bound for St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and then New York.
On the morning of Sept. 19th, the unescorted ship was spotted about 300 miles east of Barbados by German submarine U-516. The freighter was sailing a zigzag course at a speed of about 11 knots when U-156 attacked, firing two torpedoes. Neither hit. The submarine repositioned itself and fired another torpedo, this one hitting between the foremast and the bridge causing the MS Wichita to sink in less than a minute. According to U-516's logbook, the sub surfaced and searched the area but found no survivors or lifeboats.
There were 40 Merchant Mariners and 10 US Navy Armed Guards on board, none survived.
Parents: Elizabeth (O'Rourke) and Robert J. BOLE
Siblings: Marguerite, Theodore J., Martha, Mary Rosalie, William J., Thomas, Kenneth, John
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
US Merchant Marine
Class: 1943, King's Point
Service No: Z 240387
Significant Awards: Mariners Medal, Combat Bar, Atlantic War Zone Bar, Victory Medal, Presidential Testimonial Letter.
Address of Record: Drexel Hill, PA
The MS Wichita was an American merchant ship built in 1921 for the US Shipping Board. Originally steam powered (SS), it was converted in 1929 to diesel propulsion (MV). After entering WWII, the ship was equipped with four .50cal guns and one 4inch gun mounted to the stern, and a US Navy Armed Guard crew was routinely assigned to the ship.
In New Orleans, on or about May 21, 1942, Deck Cadet ROBERT JAMES BOLE III signed on the MS Wichita. He was 21 years old. On Sept 1, 1942, after four months and several different ports, Mr. Bole was on board as the Wichita left Takoradi (now part of Ghana) with a load of general cargo. They were finally heading west, bound for St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and then New York.
On the morning of Sept. 19th, the unescorted ship was spotted about 300 miles east of Barbados by German submarine U-516. The freighter was sailing a zigzag course at a speed of about 11 knots when U-156 attacked, firing two torpedoes. Neither hit. The submarine repositioned itself and fired another torpedo, this one hitting between the foremast and the bridge causing the MS Wichita to sink in less than a minute. According to U-516's logbook, the sub surfaced and searched the area but found no survivors or lifeboats.
There were 40 Merchant Mariners and 10 US Navy Armed Guards on board, none survived.
Siblings: Marguerite, Theodore J., Martha, Mary Rosalie, William J., Thomas, Kenneth, John
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
US Merchant Marine
Class: 1943, King's Point
Service No: Z 240387
Significant Awards: Mariners Medal, Combat Bar, Atlantic War Zone Bar, Victory Medal, Presidential Testimonial Letter.
Address of Record: Drexel Hill, PA
The MS Wichita was an American merchant ship built in 1921 for the US Shipping Board. Originally steam powered (SS), it was converted in 1929 to diesel propulsion (MV). After entering WWII, the ship was equipped with four .50cal guns and one 4inch gun mounted to the stern, and a US Navy Armed Guard crew was routinely assigned to the ship.
In New Orleans, on or about May 21, 1942, Deck Cadet ROBERT JAMES BOLE III signed on the MS Wichita. He was 21 years old. On Sept 1, 1942, after four months and several different ports, Mr. Bole was on board as the Wichita left Takoradi (now part of Ghana) with a load of general cargo. They were finally heading west, bound for St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and then New York.
On the morning of Sept. 19th, the unescorted ship was spotted about 300 miles east of Barbados by German submarine U-516. The freighter was sailing a zigzag course at a speed of about 11 knots when U-156 attacked, firing two torpedoes. Neither hit. The submarine repositioned itself and fired another torpedo, this one hitting between the foremast and the bridge causing the MS Wichita to sink in less than a minute. According to U-516's logbook, the sub surfaced and searched the area but found no survivors or lifeboats.
There were 40 Merchant Mariners and 10 US Navy Armed Guards on board, none survived.
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