THE MS NORTHERN SUN’S RESCUE OF THE TUG MENOMINEE SURVIVORS
31 March, 1942
One of the least known accountings of World War II is the story of the seamen who served in the United States Merchant Marine. With their essential cargoes, our nation's ships became primary targets of German U-boats and Japanese Kamikaze aircraft attacks. Thousands of seamen were killed or wounded, and over 900 ships were sunk. Nearly 10,000 seamen lost their lives and most are resting in Davy Jones’ Locker. Losses of men and ships were so high newspapers were ordered not to report casualty rates in fear that our young men would steer clear of our ships creating a shortage of volunteers and preventing the enemy from knowing their success. Their casualty ratio was higher than any other service. One in twenty-six made the supreme sacrifice.
During WWII the Merchant Marines played a critical role in aiding the US and her Allies. Had these ships not been productive and carried the load, the war would have been in all likelihood prolonged many months, if not years. Some argue the Allies would have lost without the assistance of the Merchant Marines and the means to carry the personnel, supplies, and equipment needed by the combined Allies to defeat the Axis powers.
It is not known why so many Americans have never heard the stories of their courage and the critical role these seamen played in the victory of World War II. Along our Atlantic Seaboard it was a virtual shooting gallery for those German Submarine Wolf Packs. They were sinking our ships faster than we could build them. There was an even lesser known group of seamen (Some 30,000) who served on very primitive, outdated and unarmed coastwise tugs and barges. They carried bulk war materials to the defense plants that produced the finished products used in the fighting and defense of our country on the three fronts overseas and keeping our shores free of the enemy.
It is time, however, to tell one story of heroism of the rescue of three merchant seamen and make this accounting public for all to know. It took place close by just a few miles off the coast of Virginia and concluded at the coastal town of Lewes, Delaware.
The steam tug Menominee was built in 1919 at the Northwestern Engineering Works, Green Bay, WI for the Southern Transportation Company and was home ported at Philadelphia, PA. At 441 tons, and built sturdy, she set deep in the water and pulled a load of four barges easily through most rough seas. On 30 March, 1942, the tug Menominee, with her tow of three barges, Alleghany, Barnegat, and the Ontario set out from Hampton Roads, Virginia at about 12:30 PM bound for New York City and Stamford, CT. The state of the weather was overcast, and the sea choppy with winds at 15 MPH from ESE. The visibility was poor and there was a light mist. At about 0230 the following morning the German U-boat 754 commenced the shelling of the tug and barges that led to the sinking of the tug and two barges. All hands from the barges made it to their life boats and were all rescued by the USCGC 4063 later that morning.
Not so for the men of the Menominee. The tug cut loose the barges and made for the shore line at full speed, but the German sub, moving much faster, caught up with the tug. Seeing the certain end of his tug, the captain ordered the engines stopped and gave the order to abandon ship. They were able to drop two life rafts in hopes the German U-boat captain would recognize an act of surrender. The German sub kept coming and continuing to fire their guns without regard for the lives of the seamen. Soon the tug exploded but not before at least seven men was able to clear the explosion and reach one of the rafts, according to the classified report of the sinking.
Only a few months before, three young men (Julius Todd, Sam Price, and Aaron Varn) decided to make the US Merchant Marine a career and they all started it at the Saint Petersburg Maritime Training School. There they met for the first time and developed a friendship that has lasted for more than 70 years. A feat that has rarely ever seen accomplished. To this day the three of them still remain close friends. Shortly after their completion of training they were assigned additional training aboard the merchant training ship American Seamen to get the feel of a real ship. Upon completion of that short introduction they were sent to New York City, NY to the Seamen’s Union Hall on South Street to wait for an assignment. After a week of sitting around the union hall an offer of a slot came open for some engine room wipers (apprentice engine room seamen) from three companies, the Sun Oil Company, Socony Oil and the Atlantic Refinery. Amazingly they all three choose the Sun Oil Company.
Their orders read to report to Marcus Hook, PA to pick up the MS Northern Sun right away. The Northern Sun was built in 1931 for the Sun Oil Company at yard No. 131 in Chester, PA and was also home ported in Philadelphia, PA. At 8865 tons, she was a prime target for the German U-boat Wolf packs right there along that part of the Atlantic Coast commonly known as torpedo junction. A requirement aboard all seagoing vessels is to assign a lifeboat station to every person aboard in case of trouble and a sinking would occur. Being newbies to the sea, it was also customary to assign the new ones together with more seasoned seamen; each was assigned different lifeboats. The ship left right away for a port in Texas believed to be Galveston. There appeared to have been no problems navigating the sub infested waters going to Texas, but that was not the case on the way back.
The Northern Sun was steaming toward New York on the morning of the 31st of March when about 0800, she came upon the carnage caused by the German U-boat 754. Knowing the area still was being patrolled by other German U-boats, they stopped anyway and lowered a lifeboat immediately and set out toward the survivors on a single life raft. Julius Todd was assigned this lifeboat with the responsibility of keeping the engine going. That wasn’t to be because the engine would not cooperate and they had to result to using the oars. Julius was pulling for all his worth on his oar in an attempt to get to the survivors as fast as possible. In fact he was pulling so hard the oar broke from his putting his all in that effort. When the lifeboat neared the life raft, Julius reached down to grab one of the Menominee crew from the water, but was unable to do so. “The young boy had his fingers entwined around a wooden crate and clasped together and I had to pry his fingers loose before I could pull him aboard the lifeboat”, Julius reported. Two others were on the raft, the Captain and the Chief Engineer. They quickly jumped aboard the lifeboat. According to the classified report the captain stated that the others slipped off into the night, probably from exposure. A total of 15 of 18 were lost that night but Julius Todd saved one from a watery grave in Davy Jones’ Locker. The young one was brought home to his family and given a proper burial in a new family plot. He had been identified as William Lee Horton, Jr. age, 17 who had just signed on as Able Seamen on 29 Mar, 1942, just a little over 2 days before.
They brought the survivors back to the Northern Sun about amidships and proceeded to bring the young one aboard. Aboard ship the other friends were observing from their assigned position and watched as they brought young Horton aboard. Sam Price remembers that “they tried to work on the young one to get the water out of him and then wrapped him in blankets. After a while they took him to first aid (sick bay)” and Sam says he never saw him again, but, he was alive while on deck.
Aaron Varn from his position at the other end of the ship was able to only observe the operation. But, he was able to take a picture of the landing of the lifeboat alongside. These three seamen are the only known seamen alive who served aboard the MS Northern Sun during that rescue.
The Northern Sun got back underway and when she came abeam Brown Shoals she passed the two survivors and the body of young Horton to the USCGC 4345 for delivery to Lewes, Delaware. Later it was determined that he died of broken bones to the neck and a severed spinal cord. The Sun continued on to New York to off load their cargo of fuel.
Once the Sun reached New York and off loaded her cargo, all aboard were issued a discharge. By law every seamen receives a discharge whenever they arrived in a US port. Those who wished to ship over for another trip did so. The others were free to go ashore and seek another ship within the next thirty days or risk being drafted if they were within the draft age criteria. All three friends shipped over and this truly began a strong solid friendship that spanned over 70 years. After a few more trips together, they separated but continued their career aboard other vessels, some with other companies. Their friendship just grew stronger each year and is still very much alive and active.
Julius Todd was the only one of the three that remained with Sun Oil Company and retired after 46 years of loyal and trustworthy service. Born in Conway, SC of sharecropper parents who had eight children and the elder of the boys, Julius worked at several jobs before moving to Charleston. SC to live with his Grandmother for a short time before he decided to enroll in the Merchant Marine Training School in St. Petersburg, FL. He started his career with Sun Oil Company as a wiper and gained his Chief Engineer’s license before his retirement. Just a few years in his career (1946) and his ships docking frequently at Marcus Hook, PA, he would visit a little drug store over in Chester, PA, where a young and very pretty girl caught his eye and to be sure he was remembered, he would always leave a silver dollar as a tip. Her name was Emilie Mildred and on October 23, 1948 she became his bride. Another amazing coincidence was Julius and Sam Price was seeing two girls at the same drug store. Julius married Mildred and Sam married Eva some 42 years later and after his first wife had sadly passed away.
Julius and Mildred started their life together in Chester, PA and lived there until 1952 when they relocated their family to Wilmington, DE which is still called home. Julius and Emile produced two daughters, Barbara and Debrann from this marriage and now these lovely ladies are returning their care to Julius since losing his dear wife who he was so blessed to have shared lives for almost sixty years. Mildred passed away on 31 January, 2008.
After retiring from Sun Oil, he was frequently called upon to repair vehicles for family and friends and would occasionally loan himself out as a handyman to those less fortunate, to repair and install anything with an engine. “Once an engineman always an engineman”, he would say.
There are no records that indicate the he or any other of the crew of the Northern Sun were ever recognized for their heroic rescue of three seamen from the bowels of the Atlantic in an area that was well known for the preying German U-boats ready and very willing to put a large tanker loaded with fuel to the bottom of the sea. Sad to say that nowadays whenever someone who goes missing or rescues another, it is all over the news and television, yet, during that timeframe the likes of a dramatic and heroic rescue drew little or no attention. What a shame this is. We owe them and the debt should be paid. Mr. Todd currently resides at 1403 Marsh St., Wilmington, De 19803
Sam Price’s story in his own words: I was born on a farm in Ripley County Indiana on August 15, 1920. Our family lived in Covington, Kentucky across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Ohio. My Mom was visiting her sister who lived in Indiana. I suppose Mom stayed too long because I was born there.
Dad was a Locomotive Engineer on the L & N Railroad. The great depression came and many people lost their jobs, Dad was one of them. Our family moved to Florida and landed in the land of Strawberry and Vegetable farms. It was 1931 and I was 11 years old. I worked on the farm until 1941. (Note: This farm was owned by Aaron Varn’s mother, but this was not known between the two at that time)
In July of 1941, I saw an ad in the newspaper that the U.S. Merchant in Marine wanted men to enroll at the Merchant Marine Training School in St. Petersburg, Florida. Dad took me to the Bus Station in Tampa. I took the bus to St. Petersburg and was admitted to the school. We learned all about ships, we were there for about 4 months. I arrived at the school July I enlisted in the U.S. Naval reserves. I was never called for active duty and was discharged on August 14, 1944.
We were sent from school to Baltimore, MD to join the Merchant Marine Training Ship, the SS American Seaman. We were given the choice of the Engine Department, the Deck or the Stewards Department. Aaron, Julius, Jimmy and I all became lifelong friends. Sadly Jimmy passed away about 5 years ago.
We learned about boilers, main engines, and auxiliary equipment while on the ship. We were on the American Seaman about 3 months and then were sent to the Seaman’s Church Institute @25 South Street New York, N.Y. to wait for a job.
We had Wiper Papers (cleaning) at that time at that time. After 2 weeks we were given the choice of working for one of three Oil Co., Socony The Sun Oil Co. and the Atlantic Refining Co., all 4 of us friends chose to work for The Sun Oil Co. in Marcus Hook, PA.
Arriving in Marcus Hook we boarded the MS Northern Sun as wipers. The ship was running coast wise from Marcus Hook to Texas and back to Marcus Hook or a port in New Jersey. While on the Northern Sun we made a trip across the North Atlantic Ocean, in convoy and down to Liverpool, England. Several ships in the convoy were torpedoed and sunk by the German U Boats.
Even on the coastwise runs it was not uncommon to see the smoke from torpedoed burning ships. Coming North in 1942 some Survivors were spotted off the Coast of Virginia. A life boat was lowered in the sea and the crew rowed out and put 3 men in the lifeboat and brought them back to the ship. Two of the men were in pretty good condition, but the third one was a very young boy 17 years of age, he was barely alive. The men did everything they could for him but he passed away. I believe a Coast Guard boat took them off the ship.
While on the Northern Sun we came into Marcus Hook quite often. Not far from Marcus Hook was a town named Chester. Aaron, my friend and I went to a Carnival in Chester and I met a beautiful polish girl, Eva Wintarlik was her name she was 17. Eva worked in a Drug Store in Chester, PA. Whenever we were in Marcus Hook I would go to the Drug Store and Eva and I would walk around, talk and go to a movie. She was a delightful girl to be with.
Aaron and I were on the Northern Sun for about 3 months as a wiper when the Chief gave us a letter of recommendation and we went to Customs House in Philadelphia and passed our exam and received Oiler, Fireman and Water Tender endorsements. We were promoted to Oilers on the ship; we were on the Northern Sun for about 13 months we went home and we both got married.
Aaron married Cecile Cooper on April 10th 1943; I married Virginia Olive on April 26th 1943. Virginia was 17 and I was 22. We had 3 Boys, Samuel T. Jr., Geoffrey E. and Larry Stephen. At this time 2/13/2012 Samuel Jr. is 65, Geoffrey is 63 and Steven is 61. I am 91 years old.
Sun Oil Co. sent Aaron and me to California to board the Western Sun which was due to come into San Diego. We stayed in California in a hotel about 2 weeks while the ship was in the ship yard. We made several crossings of the Pacific Ocean hauling fuel oil to the troops and for the Navy Ships. We were stationed in Epirito Santos in the New Hebredes Islands about 6 months as a refueling ship for the Navy Ships. Loaded Tanker Ships would come in and pump their cargo into our ship and we pumped the fuel into the Navy ships. We came back to Marcus Hook in June of 1944. We had been out 11 months and 25 days. Aaron and I went home together as our families lived not too far apart.
While I was home I read in the newspaper the Merchant Marine wanted qualified men to enroll in the Officers’ Training School in Fort Trumbull in New London Conn. I enrolled and we were taught the engine room, equipment which included boilers, main engines (both turbines and reciprocating), diesel engines, auxiliary pumps, generators etc. After 4 months I passed the exam and received a 3rd Assistant Engineers License for Steam and Diesel Ships. I went back to Sun Oil Co. and boarded the SS Delaware Sun; I stayed on about 6 months, when I got off, the ship went into the ship yard. I returned home and went to Tampa and joined the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, (MEBA) Union.
I was sent to Galveston, Texas to board the Liberty Ship SS John W. Gates. We went across the Atlantic and through the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea to Constanta Romanic. I returned home the war was over and I received my discharge. I sailed several ships for different companies until 1947. I took the 2nd Assistant Engineers exam and got my 2nd Assistant Engineers License. I sailed more ships until 1953.
My boys were growing and 2 were in school. I then took and passed an exam for a City of Tampa Stationary Engineers License. I worked for a large Department Store in Tampa in July 1953 and worked there for 131/2 years until February 1967. The boys were ready to go to college. I told Virginia, my wife, that I was not making enough money to send the boys to college and that I was going back to sea again.
I signed on the AMARILLO Victory as 2nd Assistant Engineer and we were hauling ammo to Vietnam. I took a Merchant Marine Engineers Book with me and studied at sea. We were out 6 months when I got home I went to Tampa and took and passed the exam for 1st Assistant Engineer. We were out to sea for 6 more months and when I got home I went to Tampa and passed the exam for the Chief Engineer License. After that I sailed other ships sometimes as Chief Engineer and sometimes as 1st Assistant until 1972.
In 1972, I took a 1st Assistants job on a C2 Ship named the Azalia City with Sealand Service Co. I worked for Sealand for 10 years, sometimes as Chief Engineer and other times, 1st Assistant Engineer.
In 1973 young Samuel was at the University of Colorado. Virginia went out to Colorado to see young Sam. When I came back for my vacation, Virginia said she wanted to move to Colorado. I said ok so we went to Colorado and found a place up in the mountains about 100 miles west of Colorado Springs. Went home and sold our house and moved to Colorado. Virginia got sick in the fall of 1981. Virginia knew that she was not going to live long and she asked me what I was going to do with her. I told her I would take her back to Florida and lay her to rest in the cemetery where her Mother, Father, Brother and Sister were buried. That is what I did, the Lord called Virginia home on April 21st 1982, 5 days before our 39th Wedding Anniversary she was 56 years old. I retired at that time.
I bought a Junk Yard and moved everything to our place, I had plenty of room, I was lonesome and to occupy my time. I worked on some old antique cars. With the help of a Machine Shop, Paint Shop, and anyone else who wanted to help us we restored 7 Antique Cars.
The 4 of us, who started out together in 1941, namely Aaron Varn, Julius Todd, Jimmy Samuels and I had a reunion in the fall of 1984 at Aaron’s place in Ruskin, Florida. At this time Aaron and Jimmy Samuels still lived in Florida. I was still living in Colorado and Julius Todd & his wife Mildred were living in Wilmington, De. While at the reunion Mildred told me that Eva the girl I knew in 1942 was a widow. After going back home to Colorado I thought about getting in touch with Eva, not knowing where she lived I wrote her a letter sealed it and put it in a large envelope and mailed it to Mildred Todd asking her if she could get it to Eva since they lived close to each other. In my letter I asked Eva if I could come and see her. Eva called me and said yes but she was leaving on a trip to Italy and Israel in about 2 weeks. I came over and met her again; there she was almost 60 years old and gorgeous. I had not seen her for 42 years and she was as beautiful as she was then. We were walking on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City holding her hand at 64 and I felt young again. I asked Eva if she would marry me and she said yes, we were married on June 10, 1985 she came to Colorado to live. Being that we had no close family we moved to Middletown, DE in 1991. Eva has 3 lovely daughters, Mary Anna, young Eva and Jean. Sadly the Lord called Eva home on July 13, 2011 she was 86 years old. We were married happily for just over 26 years. So I am alone again at 91 and I miss her so much. I live alone, but Eva’s daughter Jeanie and her husband Wayne look after me now and take good care of me. I am fortunate in having 2 real live Guardian Angles watching over me. Sam Price lives at 222 Sugar Pine Drive, Middletown, DE 19709.
Aaron Varn started his career with the Merchant Marine by sending a penny postcard to the U.S. Maritime Service’s St. Petersburg Training Center, Florida in 1941 and stayed with the MM for 18 years. During his time in the training center he met his lifelong friends, Sam Price and Julius Todd. After leaving the training center and ship they were assigned to the Northern Sun where he spent the next 13 months before moving to the Western Sun with his buddies. Earlier in his career he married his high school sweetheart and they are still together. Varn continued to sail until 1959. A maritime career that spanned two wars plus, that included attaining the rating of Deck Engineer. Leaving the sea, he went to work on the railroad as a fireman and rising to the rank of locomotive Engineer for CSX before retiring in 1984 in Ruskin, FL close to their 2 children and grandchildren.
Every so often three of the friends still get together and tell some sea stories many would be glad to listen in on. All could learn a lesson about lasting friendships and the values learned. Rarely does one hear of friendships lasting for such a long time (over 70 years) and rarely does a few friends last nearly this long. This makes one wonder if we still have the values of the greatest generation. Mr. Varn currently resides at 1618 6th Street, Ruskin, FL 33570.
The saving of the young one (Horton) from the tug Menominee lead to a research that discovered that there may be as many as 30,000 coastwise seamen who sailed on those tugs and barges. Many of the crew on the barges were made up of families during the summer months between school breaks. There were many elderly and handicapped seamen long past the draft age that served also. Women were never given recognition for their services. These seamen sailed on the same waters as other seamen who had proper credentials, yet they were denied both credentials and recognition. They were paid wages and taxes were withheld but they cannot gain recognition because they sailed without credentials now required for service. During WW II orders were given to relieve the masters of the tugs and coastwise barges from issuing the shipping/discharge documents that are now required to prove service. In the 1970s another government order was given to destroy the ship’s logbooks because they were too costly to maintain and store. These coastwise seamen served but are not recognized for their services. When we refuse to recognize an individual for the services they perform for this country due to disability, age or gender, this is discrimination and should not be tolerated. We need to correct this mistake.
World War II brought about the advent of women in the military and again they proved themselves. They earned some of our country’s highest honors for their service. Another group of women served and have never been recognized. The women who served in the US Merchant Marine in WW II were denied their Official Mariner’s credentials and were unable to achieve what they most gallantly earned, veteran status. Those who hold this status perceive it as one of their most revered possessions.
At the outset of WW II, women served on some passenger ships as stewardesses. They made a mark in the record books with their short lived services. Some served heroically as their vessels were torpedoed. They cared for the wounded and stayed with the ship, leaving only at the very last moments. The history books reveal that at least 4 of these stewardesses were taken POW after the sinking of their ships. At least one was awarded the Merchant Marine Combat Medal. Yet they were removed from their ships just as soon as the ship entered a US port. This was against stern opposition from the women who tried in vain to stay with the ships. It wasn’t to be. The USCG had decreed that no women would serve aboard the merchant ships of the US. They would not issue official USCG Credentials depicting Merchant Marine seamen status. That did not stop them from serving. They served and should be recognized for it.
The last survivor of WW I have just left us, closing that book regarding any living proof of existence. And the veterans of WW II are leaving us at a rate of about 1000 per day and according to the Veterans Administration, by the year 2020 all will have left us. It is estimated that from the original 30,000 coastwise seamen, there may be about 300 remaining and they will be soon gone. Action must be taken to identify the remaining and let them know this country has not forgotten them and we will make it right by conferring veteran status upon them.
Even less is known of the coastwise merchant seamen and the work they performed. All of the vessels are long gone and the companies have been out of business for far too many years to find any significant information to be useful to assist in gaining recognition for these seamen. All that is left are recollections from the seamen themselves and if they cannot be located, then they have served this nation for naught. All effort must be made to help find them and retrieve their information for our future generations to know and understand how close this country came to being a nation not knowing or understanding the freedom we now take for granted. Our members of congress must take the necessary action to correct this travesty. We must do so before it all becomes history, which shortly that will be the case.
A bill HR 1288, “WW II Merchant Mariners Service Act” is being considered in the House with 105 cosponsors. We must do the same in the Senate with a companion bill if we are to make this happen while any are still with us. We need our Senators to stand up as our US Representatives have done so.
If anyone who reads this know of others who served on the Northers Sun, please contact me atJ. Don Horton @ 104 Riverview Ave in Camden, NC 27921 or call at 252 336 5553.
