SS DOMINO ENCOUNTER WITH UNKNOWN U-BOAT

SS DOMINO

During my quest of gathering data and publishing 'Merchant Ship Histories' I came upon a vessels that had a strange encounter with the enemy...but most generally the info is buried in the back pages of a research book.  This is data that gets overlooked many times.

Well this is 'one' of such events...it tells about a short encounter with the enemy and it brings about thoughts of why didn't the enemy "press on" and engage further.

If you'd care to give this short history a go ...just click on the below link:

SS DOMINO

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SS DEL VALLE

The SS Del Valle....a steamer, out of New Orleans....attempting to make her way to Buenos
Aires...via St. Thomas....with general cargo.  Well everything was going along ok but she didn't know she was being followed by U-154....until a passenger plane flying over seen the sub and radioed the merchant....and then later...all hell broke loose.

If you wish to read about her ordeal just click on this:

SS DEL VALLE

Hope you enjoy

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HIT THE BEACH

Few recall today that it was mostly

Coast Guard helmsmen who

heroically jammed the bows of their

wooden landing craft into the

blazing hell of Normandy’s beaches.

Most of the crew of the LCI(L)-92 were veterans of invasions in North Africa Sicily, and Italy. Their commanding officer, Lt, Robert M. Salmon, USCGR, had brought the ship across the Atlantic from Norfolk 16-months before and fought her through the Mediterranean invasions. Bored with weeks of drill and the drudgery of getting the vessel in first-class condition, the men’s spirits were high when the 92 took its place in the great armada crossing the English Channel to breach the Nazi’s West Wall. A few hours later, the 92, second ship to hit its designated section of the beach, was a smoking part of the price paid for victory. It was two-weeks before all hands could be accounted for - six of them had been injured and 41 soldiers had died before they had a chance to leave the ship. Coast Guardsman Seth Shepard, Photographer’s Mate 2C, wrote this account a few days after leaving a survivor’s camp in southwest England. Lieutenant Salmon subsequently received the Silver Star for his intrepidity on D-Day.

If you'd care to give this one a going over...just click: HERE

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USS TORSK (SS-423)

She fired the Last Torpedo and sank the last Japanese ship of WW II.....and if you wish to have a 'face-to-face' with her...she is berthed at Pier 4 on Pratt Street in downtown Baltimore.

The USS Torsk, was laid down in June of 1944, and yes she has a few stories to tell, so if you'd care to roll your eyes over her story just click on the link below

Link:

USS TORSK (SS-423)

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USS VANCE (DER-387) AND "MAD MARCUS"

The USS Vance (DER-387).....did not have the best of "reputations".....as the word was.....the crew had somewhat of an unkempt appearance about them, and junior officers not having organizational skills in keeping a tight rein on there units.   It also was well known for being infested with cockroaches.

Well this all changed when Lieutenant Commander Marcus Aurelius Arnheiter took command of the Vance.  Actually he became known as "Mad Marcus"....and this whole transformation from what the crew was use too....too what there new Captain expected....was a disaster waiting to happen.

This all boiled down to "Vietnam War's Real-Life Captain Queeg."

Combining a ship with a dubious reputation and a captain of questionable sanity creates a very real recipe for disaster.

Link to: MAD MARCUS