I 262nd Regiment San Diego, Andrews, William H. Sgt. Co. K 262nd Regiment [M], Alexander, J. D. Pfc. Co. E 262nd Regiment Selma [M], Kerr, Ian H. Pfc. Co. Co. F 262nd Regiment New Bedford [M], Flammia, Anthony J. Pfc. Some men had started to jump down from a height of approximately 40 feet. Co. F 262nd Regiment Clayton [M], Rzemek, Edward W. Pfc. Co. K 264th Regiment St. Louis [M], Koenig, Richard H. T/5. Med. Co. K 262nd Regiment Herndon [F], Ross, William C. Pvt. I 262nd Regiment Chicago, Smith, Lewis A. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Jersey City [M], Dantinne, Harold H. Pfc. Co. Co. L 262nd Regiment Meridian [M], Martin, Ray E. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Chestnut Ridge [M], Nolan, James M. Pvt. I 262nd Regiment NYC [M], Di Mola, Nicholas J. Pvt. I 262nd Regiment Greensburg [F], Lagana, Joseph G. Pvt. Co. A 264th Regiment [F], ODonnell, John H. T/5. 262nd Regiment Providence [M], Celentano, Peter Pfc. Hdq. Co. E 262nd Regiment Dandridge [M], Black, Charles H. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Bexar [M], McCorkle, Roy E., Jr. Pfc. Co. C 264th Regiment Niagara Falls, Turner, Kenneth J. Pfc. Of these men, mostly between the ages of 18 and 21, 763 were killed. 1st Lt. Co. B 264th Regiment Houston [R], Ayala, Modesto Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Rochester [M], Nassif, Assaph J. Pvt. Co. F 262nd Regiment South Bend [M], Lewis, Emry L. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Dubuque [M], Cook, Dean L. Pfc. The Lopoldville was one of two troopships in a formation with four warships: two British destroyers, and one British and one French frigate. Co. 2nd Battalion 262nd Regiment Bronx, NYC, Kessler, George Cpl. Co. F 262nd Regiment Webb [M], Thompson, Robert L. Pfc. Hdq. Co. H 262nd Regiment Lockwood [M], Privett, Lawrence E. 1st Sgt. Co. L 262nd Regiment Roxbury [M], Daniels, Robert L. Pfc. He is pictured with his wife Velma and son Jim. Co. K. 264th Regiment Springfield Gardens, NYC [F], Falci, James L. Pvt. Co. A 264th Regiment Walnutport [M], Gilbert, Harold Pfc. I 262nd Regiment Frye [M], Auclair, Joseph A. Pvt. Co. Co. E 262nd Regiment Apollo [M], Debuski, Michael Pfc. Hdq. Where my research determined the final disposition of the body it is indicated as follows: [M] body never recovered; [F] body buried in France; [R] body returned to the United States for burial, Carlton, Garlan Pfc. Co. E 262nd Regiment Fresno [M], Nelson, Carl A. Pfc. Med. Co. You can click on any of the names for possible additional information. Co. L 262nd Regiment Highland Park, Morehouse, F.R. Co. K 262nd Regiment Shreveport [F], Henderson, John M. Pvt. I 262nd Regiment [M], McKinney, Joseph O. Pfc. Co. K 262nd Regiment Mansfield, Forman, Gerald Pvt. All told, every state in the nation lost at least one soldier, except Delaware and Wyoming. Co. Co. B 264th Regiment Louisville [F], Gulley, Eula T. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Bonner Springs [M], Bowling, Everett R. Pvt. Co. Co. F 262nd Regiment Los Angeles [M], Stull, Ray S. T/4. Co. L 262nd Regiment Weehawken [M], Miles, Robert F. S. Sgt. I 262nd Regiment Pawcatuck [M], Rowe, Hazlewood Pfc. Co. Co. This In Memoriam list was originally published by me in July 1997. Co. C 264th Regiment Chicago, Rose, Don T. Pfc. Co. L 262nd Regiment Harvey [M], Marcinkowski, Arthur A. Pfc. Co. L 262nd Regiment Bronx, NYC, Yaccketta, Dominick T. Pfc. Co. B 264th Regiment Hazel, Evans, Luther O. Pfc. Co. E 264th Regiment Pomona, Macrorie, Edward J., Jr. Pvt. Co. L 262nd Regiment Waltham [M], Thibodeau, Joseph E. Pfc. Co. 2nd Battalion 262nd Regiment Ramona, Coble, Wayne H. 1st Sgt. Her code letters were MLTP[2] until 193334, when they were superseded by the call sign ONLB. Co. F 262nd Regiment Wallington [M], Shand, James E. Pfc. Co. B 264th Regiment, Mazzone, Vincent J. Cpl. Co. E 264th Regiment Lockport, Stern, Lawrence M. Pfc. Glenn Elvin Lowry and Pfc. Co. K 262nd Regiment Atlanta [F], Simmons, Chester B., Jr Pvt. [2], In 1936 two Bauer-Wach low-pressure exhaust turbines were added, each driving one of the shafts via double-reduction gearing and a Fttinger fluid coupling. Hdq. Co. K 264th Regiment Regent [M], Gentz, Herbert I. Pfc. Co. Co. H 262nd Regiment Greenville [M], Cellura, Angelo T. Pfc. Co. L 262nd Regiment Ozone, Wade, Joseph T. Sgt. Det. Co. K 262nd Regiment Harriman, Jones, Henry M. Pvt. Med. Survivors of the Leopoldville by Ray Roberts Archived . Co. F 262nd Regiment Johnston [M], Costa, William Pfc. Co. Co. L 262nd Regiment North Adams [M], Skinner, Charles V. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Cleveland [M], Leidner, Oliver C. Pfc. Co. E 262nd Regiment Moxee [M], Adkins, Amon Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Berwyn, Steib, Joseph E. Pvt. Co. L 262nd Regiment Pittsburgh [M], Secich, Joseph G. Pvt. Co. A 264th Regiment Widener [F], Field, Henry, Jr. Pvt. Co. 3rd Battalion 262nd Regiment Sand Springs [F], Reisig, William L. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Rye [M], Blaskowski, Benjamin J. S. Sgt. "The Silent Soldier and the Portrait," produced by Waller's daughter . Clive Cussler dedicated his 1986 book Cyclops to the disaster. Co. 3rd Battalion 262nd Regiment Gary, Weinand, Edward F. T/5. Forgotten by many, remembered by few. Co. B 264th Regiment Wellington [M], Garcia, Paul M. Pfc. Co. K 262nd Regiment Philadelphia, Biggart, Will O. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Waynesville [M], Reece, Dole C. Pfc. Co. K 262nd Regiment Akron [M], De Soto, Claude Pvt. Co. 264th Regiment Mt. SS Lopoldville (1948), 10, 530 GRT, built by J Cockerill SA, Hoboken, Antwerp. 262nd Regiment Rock Lake [M], McGhan, Glen P. Pfc. Det. Det. [6] A 24-man DEMS detachment manned defensive guns. Unknown City: Unknown Publisher, 1997. . Co. L 262nd Regiment Clearwater, Lemke, Otis C. S. Sgt. Co. F 262nd Regiment Clinton [M], Smrkovski, Clarence C. Pfc. Co. Co. H 262nd Regiment Sophia [M], Estep, Hobert O. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Beckley [M], Huffman, Johnnie O. Pvt. Co. H 262nd Regiment Arkansas City [M], South, Merle W. S. Sgt. interviews with 15 survivors and extensive footage from dives on the wreck to tell the tale of the second-worst sea disaster for American . Co. K 262nd Regiment East Douglas, Irvine, Richard G. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Malden [M], Hope, James H. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Wilkes Barre [M], Grazier, David O. Pfc. I 262nd Regiment NYC [M], Cuccia, Salvatore C. Pvt. . Co. D 264th Regiment Boonton [F], Schiller, Arthur Pvt. Co. F 262nd Regiment Columbia [M], Milam, Neal Sgt. I 264th Regiment Tulsa [M], Fisher, James O. Co. F 262nd Regiment Rockville Center [M], Kraemer, Bernard J. Pfc. Co. 262nd Regiment Philadelphia [M], Maryan, William N. Pfc. I 262nd Regiment San Antonio, Green, Herman N. Pvt. Co. B 264th Regiment Knoxville, Carew, William B. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Cincinnati [M], Witham, Charles W. Sgt. [7] Belated efforts by ships including USSPC-1225 rescued some survivors.[8]. Co. Co. F 262nd Regiment Chicago, Mikalaitis, Joseph E. Pvt. Co. Co. K 262nd Regiment Manchester [F], Miller, Douglas F., Jr. Pvt. Co. F 262nd Regiment Selsbee [M], Head, Art S. Pfc. SS Lopoldville Belgian troopship being used by the British, sunk by a German U-Boat off the coast of Cherbourg, France on Christmas Eve 1944. Co. F 262nd Regiment Dickinson [M], Dorgan, Allan J. Pfc. Det. Co. H 262nd Regiment Council Bluffs [M], Welbourn, Eldred O. Sgt. Co. F 262nd Regiment Covington [M], Farler, Otis Pfc. From his web site: "H.M.S. They are among an estimated few dozen in the nation and the only Houstonians left who survived the Dec. 24, 1944, sinking of the troop transport ship, the SS Leopoldville. Co. E 262nd Regiment Dayton [M], Wells, Floyd K. Pfc. Leopoldville.org is an online memorial seeking to raise the awareness of the tragedy and reach the families of the disaster victims. Plotkin, a Bridgeport, Connecticut, native residing at Birch Heights' retirement facility in Derry, was surprised at Post . Co. H 262nd Regiment Independence [M], Marcinko, Andrew J. Pfc. Med. Co. Lopoldville was in a diamond formation with four escorts; the destroyers HMSBrilliant and HMSAnthony, the frigate HMSHotham, and the French frigate Croix de Lorraine, and another troopship, Cheshire. Co. C 264th Regiment East Palestine, Jones, James A. D. Pfc. Sciboz has dived to the SS Leopoldville and gave the Struckmans a copy of his book, written in French, when they chartered a boat ride to visit the wreckage in the English Channel Christmas Eve, 2007. Co. L 262nd Regiment Hannastown [M], Welsh, Robert D. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Lempster [M], Mathieu, Arthur T. Pvt. Hdq. Earl E. Jacobs, also a York, Pennsylvania resident. 262nd Regiment Riverside [M], Carson, Marshall Pvt. Co. E 262nd Regiment Aberdeen [M], Ailey, Burl W. Pfc. I 264th Regiment New Boston, Skibinski, Walter J. Pfc. Co. Co. F 262nd Regiment Elkton [M], Brown, John W. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Valliant [M], Chew, Floyd E. Pfc. Co. E 262nd Regiment Anniston [M], Harris, John W. Pfc. Co. C 264th Regiment Pryor, Crowl, Elmer R. Pfc. For Paul Plotkin's 100th birthday, VFW Post 1617 in Derry, New Hampshire, honored its own WWII veteran with a special ceremony on June 26. Co. C 264th Regiment Valley View [M], Borovich, Dan Pvt. Co. Co. E 262nd Regiment Elizabeth [M], Van Belle, Daniel J. Pfc. Co. C 264th Regiment Bronx, NYC [M], King, Edward Pvt. The family moved to York, Pennsylvania in August 1933. I 262nd Regiment Detroit [F], Estlund, Robert O. Pvt. Co. F 262nd Regiment Yankton [M], Pauls, Elwood G. T/5. Co. H 262nd Regiment Gary [M], Bouse, Oren A. Sgt. Hdq. I 264th Regiment Buffalo, Sansone, Richard F. Pfc. Co. Bob was one of the lucky survivors. Co. L 262nd Regiment Sidon [M], Graham, Melton E. Pvt. Co. C 264th Regiment Worcester [F], Tambascia, Dominic G. Pfc. I 262nd Regiment Vega [M], Hattem, Monroe Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Lee Center [M], Vogel, Frank S. Pfc. Co. L 262nd Regiment Verona [M], Sellers, Benjamin F., Jr. Pfc. Co. E 262nd Regiment Houston [M], Contreras, Gregorio V. Pfc. Co. A 264th Regiment Park, Brady, Douglas F. Pvt. Co. B 264th Regiment Kappel [M], Zeigler, Charles E. Sgt. I 264th Regiment Pittsburgh, Fisher, Howard I. Pvt. He and other crew members battled against the conditions to try and rescue as many of the soldiers as possible. Co. F 262nd Regiment Haverhill [M], De Piero, Louis A. S. Sgt. Co. E 264th Regiment Brooklyn, NYC, Perry, Carl R. Pvt. She had a depth of 35feet 0inches (10.67m) and a draught of 25feet 9.75inches (7.8677m). Co. 3rd Battalion 262nd Regiment Marion, Howard, Edward F. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Kansas City [M], Hoover, Raymond B. S. Sgt. Co. K 264th Regiment Minersville [M], Reed, Seth W. T/5. Completed in August 1929 as Belgian steam passenger ship Leopoldville. The destroyer could take only five hundred men and headed for the shore leaving some twelve hundred soldiers aboard.[7]. Co. F 262nd Regiment Wichita [M], Masterson, Lawrence J. Pvt. Co. 3rd Battalion 262nd Regiment Los Angeles, Lebensart, Frederick Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Lincoln [F], Kibart, Francis E. Pvt. Med. Courtesy of Nancy Russell. Co. L 262nd Regiment Brooklyn, NYC [M], Wolf, Henry H. Pfc. Co. H 262nd Regiment Mill Creek [M], Essex, Aaron W. Sgt. Soldiers on Lopoldville jumped down onto the smaller Brilliant. Leopoldville Disaster 1944 October 1, 2018JarwatoDisaster The longest day 70th anniversary of d the longest day 70th anniversary of d 70 year reveal of a christmas eve tragedy maritime disasters of wwii 1944 1945 scooper news a tragedy kept secret 70th Anniversary Of The Ss Leopoldville Troopship Disaster National Wwii Museum I 262nd Regiment Hagerstown, Powell, James W. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Milwaukee [M], Mc Hugh, Dean J. Pfc. Co. C 264th Regiment Providence [F], Hodosh, Leonard J. Pfc. I 264th Regiment New Castle [R], Sweet, Robert C. Pfc. William P. Quinlan Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Silver Creek [R], Damsky, Daniel S. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Wheeling [M], Pyles, George E. Pfc. We also have a detailed page on the Belgian troop transport Leopoldville. Co. E 262nd Regiment Stover [M], Martinsen, Raymond B. S. Sgt. Co. K 262nd Regiment NYC [M], Lapinski, Stanley J. Pvt. The sinking of the SS Leopoldville in 1944 killed 763 U.S. Army soldiers on their way to the Battle of the Bulge. I 262nd Regiment Center [M], Appleby, Preston B. Co. 2nd Bat. Co. I 264th Regiment Delta, Green, Cecil C. Pvt. I 264th Regiment Guilford, Lavigne, Alfred G. Pvt. Co. F 262nd Regiment [M], Decell, Harold J. Pfc. Co. His body was recovered. VFW Post in New Hampshire celebrates SS Leopoldville survivor's 100th birthday. Co. E 262nd Regiment Roanoke Rapids [M], Russ, Paisley E. S. Sgt. Co. B 264th Regiment Goldsboro [M], Clark, William C. Pvt. Med. There is a memorial in Weymouth, Dorset engraved with: 24 December 1944 English Channel 802 died when troopship SS 'Leopoldville' was sunk by a torpedo off Cherbourg, Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}494557N 013620W / 49.76583N 1.60556W / 49.76583; -1.60556, List by death toll of ships sunk by submarines, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, "Veterans Memorial of Titusville,Florida; Leopoldville Memorial Monument", "S.S. Leopoldville Disaster: December 24, 1944 part III", Survivors of the Leopoldville by Ray Roberts, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SS_Lopoldville_(1928)&oldid=1133369928. Co. 2000. Co. H 262nd Regiment Indianapolis, Rowland, Elmer D. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Jamaica Plains [M], Dalton, William F. Sgt. Co. Co. L 262nd Regiment Franklin, Williams, Heiskell M. Pfc. Hdq. Co. B 264th Regiment Ponca City, Wellborn, Charles B., III Pvt. I 264th Regiment Houston [M], Pearl, Bill M. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Berkeley [M], Williamson, Donald E. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Brownville, Ash, Robert L. S. Sgt. On Christmas Eve 1944, more than 2,000 American soldiers were aboard the troop ship SS Lopoldville crossing the English Channel to France, when it was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sank.. Co. F 262nd Regiment Dexter [M], Higgins, John W., Jr. Pfc. [6] There was an insufficient number of life jackets,[1] and few troops participated in the poorly supervised lifeboat drill as Lopoldville sailed from Southampton at 09:00 24 December as part of convoy WEP-3 across the English Channel to Cherbourg. Co. F 262nd Regiment Philadelphia [M], English, Thomas J., Jr. Pfc. Co. K 262nd Regiment Los Angeles [M], Berg, Fred W. Pvt. Co. H 262nd Regiment Burbank [M], Lester, Steven T. Pfc. Captain Charles Limbor, one Belgian and three Congolese crewmembers also went down with the ship. Co. F 262nd Regiment Belmont [M], Pancheri, Joseph A. S. Sgt. Co. K 262nd Regiment NYC, Cappello, Dominick J. S. Sgt. Co. F 262nd Regiment Providence [M], Berry, Leonard E. Sgt. Co. C 264th Regiment Attleboro, Ciekalowski, William P. S. Sgt. Co. L 262nd Regiment South Haven [M], Wincheski, Albin J. S. Sgt. Co. Sequel to Survivors of the Leopoldville Disaster. Co. L 262nd Regiment New Freedom [M], Kluciar, Milos Pfc. Co. 1st Battalion 264th Regiment Jersey City [F], Schlerf, Fred J. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Bronx, NYC [M], Hirschel, Howard T. 2d. Co. F 262nd Regiment Concord [M], Benson, Edward E. Pfc. Co. C 264th Regiment Elyria, Ferguson, Robert V. S. Sgt. Co. A 264th Regiment [F], Rouch, Wilbur L. Pvt. Co. K 262nd Regiment Newton Falls [M], Matwijiw, Robert L. Pvt. [5] Her Belgian Official Number was 120. Co. B 264th Regiment Huntington, Bowyer, James M., Jr. Sgt. Co. E 262nd Regiment Maple Rapids [M], Ambrose, Raymond C. Pvt. Co. F 262nd Regiment Wesson [M], McBay, James D. Pfc. Co. E 262nd Regiment Alton [M], Willcoxen, Donald E. Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Royal Oak [M], Smrecak, James J. Pfc. 262nd Regiment Dalton [M], Zellner, Harold M. Sgt. Jack Nevin Lowry, twin brothers and 1942 graduates of Rostraver High School. Co. K 262nd Regiment Oakland [M], Crain, Hal F. Capt. Co. B 264th Regiment Seebert, Wilson, Willie P. Pfc. I 262nd Regiment Lauderdale, Crenshaw, Thomas L. Pvt. I 262nd Regiment Johnson City [R], Sweeney, Leonard B. T/5. Co. 1st Battalion 264th Regiment Dover, Juskus, Carl F. Pfc. Co. B 264th Regiment Ozark, Verbauen, Albert Sgt. I 262nd Regiment Muses Mills [M], Hatton, Orville Pfc. Co. F 262nd Regiment Newton [M], Peterson, Burton T/4. 1st Battalion 264th Regiment Spokane [M], Rust, David S. Pfc. Several hundred Allied vessels in the harbor at Cherbourg might have served as rescue craft, but all had cold engines while many of their crewmen were ashore celebrating the holiday. Hdq. Co. K 262nd Regiment Redford Twp, McDonnell, Ferrel F. Pfc. Co. C 264th Regiment St. Louis [F], Suntinger, Clarence M. Pfc. She was converted for use as a troopship in the Second World War, and while sailing between Southampton and Cherbourg, was torpedoed and sunk by the U-486. Co. 3rd Battalion 262nd Regiment Abbott, Melson, Paul A. T. Sgt. Det. Co. B 264th Regiment Canton [M], Slusser, Elmer D. Pfc. Co. C 264th Regiment Cincinnati, Hunston, Russell E. Pfc. While some soldiers joined the crew in departing lifeboats, many did not realize the ship was slowly sinking, and stayed aboard anticipating the ship would be towed ashore by a tug. In 1998 the History Channel broadcast the documentary film Cover Up: The Sinking of the SS Lopoldville which included interviews with numerous survivors of the sinking of the ship from the 66th Infantry Division and sailors from the US Navy who attempted to save them by pulling them out of the water. Co. K 262nd Regiment Greenville [M], Chockley, Harold Y. S. Sgt.