U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 199310
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Fort Myers, Florida
The SS William C. Gorgas was a steam-powered Liberty Ship, built under the direction of the War Shipping Administration and delivered to Waterman Steamship Co in Mobile, Alabama in January 1943.
William Wallace Alderman signed on as Able Seaman and he was on board on February 28th as the ship left New York in the company of 60 other ships that made up Convoy HX-228. Bound for Liverpool, the cargo consisted of 8000 tons of general cargo which included metals, cotton, TNT, foodstuffs, aircraft, a landing craft and two PT boats. The ship's complement of 73 men included 43 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. The ship was armed with one 4inch, one 3inch, and eight 20mm guns.
On March 10th, the convoy was in the middle of the North Atlantic. Late that night, as the moon shown brightly on an ocean roiled by heavy swells, a light snow began to fall. During the final hours of Mar 10th and the first of the 11th, the convoy was attacked by several German submarines (U-boats). The Gorgas was struck amidships by a torpedo from U-757, leaving a 15 foot hole at the engine room, flooding it, and killing the three men on watch. The lifeboats were immediately lowered into the rough sea and the survivors abandoned ship. U-757 surfaced and located the ship behind the convoy. Upon questioning the men in one of the lifeboats, they misunderstood the ship's name and thought it was 'William P. Palmer.' A final torpedo was fired, causing the Gorgas to sink by the bow, taking with it the landing craft that had been stowed on deck. After about a minute, the explosives (TNT) detonated underwater, causing the U-boat to be flung upward and shaken, injuring several Germans and damaging both batteries and a diesel, thus rendering the U-boat unable to dive.
Five hours later 51 survivors were picked up by British destroyer, HMS Harvester. Harvester had damaged one of its two propeller shafts when it rammed a U-boat during the attack. Not long after the rescue, the second shaft broke leaving the destroyer helpless. That afternoon, Harvester was hit by two torpedoes from U-432 and it quickly sank.
Of the 51 survivors of the Gorgas sinking, only 12 (eight Merchant Mariners and four Armed Guards) survived the sinking of HMS Harvester. Mr. Alderman was NOT among the survivors who were rescued by FFL Aconit (a Free French Corvette) along with 48 survivors of HMS Harvester and 24 German sailors from the two U-boats.
Service No: Z 199310
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Fort Myers, Florida
The SS William C. Gorgas was a steam-powered Liberty Ship, built under the direction of the War Shipping Administration and delivered to Waterman Steamship Co in Mobile, Alabama in January 1943.
William Wallace Alderman signed on as Able Seaman and he was on board on February 28th as the ship left New York in the company of 60 other ships that made up Convoy HX-228. Bound for Liverpool, the cargo consisted of 8000 tons of general cargo which included metals, cotton, TNT, foodstuffs, aircraft, a landing craft and two PT boats. The ship's complement of 73 men included 43 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. The ship was armed with one 4inch, one 3inch, and eight 20mm guns.
On March 10th, the convoy was in the middle of the North Atlantic. Late that night, as the moon shown brightly on an ocean roiled by heavy swells, a light snow began to fall. During the final hours of Mar 10th and the first of the 11th, the convoy was attacked by several German submarines (U-boats). The Gorgas was struck amidships by a torpedo from U-757, leaving a 15 foot hole at the engine room, flooding it, and killing the three men on watch. The lifeboats were immediately lowered into the rough sea and the survivors abandoned ship. U-757 surfaced and located the ship behind the convoy. Upon questioning the men in one of the lifeboats, they misunderstood the ship's name and thought it was 'William P. Palmer.' A final torpedo was fired, causing the Gorgas to sink by the bow, taking with it the landing craft that had been stowed on deck. After about a minute, the explosives (TNT) detonated underwater, causing the U-boat to be flung upward and shaken, injuring several Germans and damaging both batteries and a diesel, thus rendering the U-boat unable to dive.
Five hours later 51 survivors were picked up by British destroyer, HMS Harvester. Harvester had damaged one of its two propeller shafts when it rammed a U-boat during the attack. Not long after the rescue, the second shaft broke leaving the destroyer helpless. That afternoon, Harvester was hit by two torpedoes from U-432 and it quickly sank.
Of the 51 survivors of the Gorgas sinking, only 12 (eight Merchant Mariners and four Armed Guards) survived the sinking of HMS Harvester. Mr. Alderman was NOT among the survivors who were rescued by FFL Aconit (a Free French Corvette) along with 48 survivors of HMS Harvester and 24 German sailors from the two U-boats.
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: Z 199310
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Fort Myers, Florida
The SS William C. Gorgas was a steam-powered Liberty Ship, built under the direction of the War Shipping Administration and delivered to Waterman Steamship Co in Mobile, Alabama in January 1943.
William Wallace Alderman signed on as Able Seaman and he was on board on February 28th as the ship left New York in the company of 60 other ships that made up Convoy HX-228. Bound for Liverpool, the cargo consisted of 8000 tons of general cargo which included metals, cotton, TNT, foodstuffs, aircraft, a landing craft and two PT boats. The ship's complement of 73 men included 43 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. The ship was armed with one 4inch, one 3inch, and eight 20mm guns.
On March 10th, the convoy was in the middle of the North Atlantic. Late that night, as the moon shown brightly on an ocean roiled by heavy swells, a light snow began to fall. During the final hours of Mar 10th and the first of the 11th, the convoy was attacked by several German submarines (U-boats). The Gorgas was struck amidships by a torpedo from U-757, leaving a 15 foot hole at the engine room, flooding it, and killing the three men on watch. The lifeboats were immediately lowered into the rough sea and the survivors abandoned ship. U-757 surfaced and located the ship behind the convoy. Upon questioning the men in one of the lifeboats, they misunderstood the ship's name and thought it was 'William P. Palmer.' A final torpedo was fired, causing the Gorgas to sink by the bow, taking with it the landing craft that had been stowed on deck. After about a minute, the explosives (TNT) detonated underwater, causing the U-boat to be flung upward and shaken, injuring several Germans and damaging both batteries and a diesel, thus rendering the U-boat unable to dive.
Five hours later 51 survivors were picked up by British destroyer, HMS Harvester. Harvester had damaged one of its two propeller shafts when it rammed a U-boat during the attack. Not long after the rescue, the second shaft broke leaving the destroyer helpless. That afternoon, Harvester was hit by two torpedoes from U-432 and it quickly sank.
Of the 51 survivors of the Gorgas sinking, only 12 (eight Merchant Mariners and four Armed Guards) survived the sinking of HMS Harvester. Mr. Alderman was NOT among the survivors who were rescued by FFL Aconit (a Free French Corvette) along with 48 survivors of HMS Harvester and 24 German sailors from the two U-boats.
Service No: Z 199310
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Fort Myers, Florida
The SS William C. Gorgas was a steam-powered Liberty Ship, built under the direction of the War Shipping Administration and delivered to Waterman Steamship Co in Mobile, Alabama in January 1943.
William Wallace Alderman signed on as Able Seaman and he was on board on February 28th as the ship left New York in the company of 60 other ships that made up Convoy HX-228. Bound for Liverpool, the cargo consisted of 8000 tons of general cargo which included metals, cotton, TNT, foodstuffs, aircraft, a landing craft and two PT boats. The ship's complement of 73 men included 43 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. The ship was armed with one 4inch, one 3inch, and eight 20mm guns.
On March 10th, the convoy was in the middle of the North Atlantic. Late that night, as the moon shown brightly on an ocean roiled by heavy swells, a light snow began to fall. During the final hours of Mar 10th and the first of the 11th, the convoy was attacked by several German submarines (U-boats). The Gorgas was struck amidships by a torpedo from U-757, leaving a 15 foot hole at the engine room, flooding it, and killing the three men on watch. The lifeboats were immediately lowered into the rough sea and the survivors abandoned ship. U-757 surfaced and located the ship behind the convoy. Upon questioning the men in one of the lifeboats, they misunderstood the ship's name and thought it was 'William P. Palmer.' A final torpedo was fired, causing the Gorgas to sink by the bow, taking with it the landing craft that had been stowed on deck. After about a minute, the explosives (TNT) detonated underwater, causing the U-boat to be flung upward and shaken, injuring several Germans and damaging both batteries and a diesel, thus rendering the U-boat unable to dive.
Five hours later 51 survivors were picked up by British destroyer, HMS Harvester. Harvester had damaged one of its two propeller shafts when it rammed a U-boat during the attack. Not long after the rescue, the second shaft broke leaving the destroyer helpless. That afternoon, Harvester was hit by two torpedoes from U-432 and it quickly sank.
Of the 51 survivors of the Gorgas sinking, only 12 (eight Merchant Mariners and four Armed Guards) survived the sinking of HMS Harvester. Mr. Alderman was NOT among the survivors who were rescued by FFL Aconit (a Free French Corvette) along with 48 survivors of HMS Harvester and 24 German sailors from the two U-boats.
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