Father: Kristian Olsen
Spouse: MARY LAMM, married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, LA. Divorced before 1930.
LELIA MAY (STRICKLAND)
Mr. Olsen Emigrated from Norway on Mar 16, 1909, arriving at Perth Amboy, NJ on Aug 23, 1910. On June 2, 1920, he was Naturalized as a U.S. citizen by the Circuit Court of New Orleans, LA. At that time, he was 29 years old and married to Mary (Lamm), age 19, and they lived in New Orleans.
Mr. Olsen and Mary Lamm were married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, but divorced before the 1930 Census enumeration. The 1940 Census for Paris, Texas shows him married to Lelia (Strickland).
The Oct 24, 1942 crew list for the SS James McKay, arrived New York from Capetown, S. Africa, shows Captain Olsen (ship's Master), at age 51, was 5'8" tall and weighed 210 pounds. He had accumulated 36 years of service at sea.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
USMM
Service No: 163787
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Paris, Texas
On Nov 11, 1942, the SS James McKay was in New York being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The ship was armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns and a 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew.
HERMAN NICKOLAI OLSEN, age 52, was Master of the SS James McKay on Dec 19, 1942 as the ship sailed out of New York Harbor with Convey HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600, one of which hit amidships. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, causing an explosion, followed by two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
Spouse: MARY LAMM, married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, LA. Divorced before 1930.
LELIA MAY (STRICKLAND)
Mr. Olsen Emigrated from Norway on Mar 16, 1909, arriving at Perth Amboy, NJ on Aug 23, 1910. On June 2, 1920, he was Naturalized as a U.S. citizen by the Circuit Court of New Orleans, LA. At that time, he was 29 years old and married to Mary (Lamm), age 19, and they lived in New Orleans.
Mr. Olsen and Mary Lamm were married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, but divorced before the 1930 Census enumeration. The 1940 Census for Paris, Texas shows him married to Lelia (Strickland).
The Oct 24, 1942 crew list for the SS James McKay, arrived New York from Capetown, S. Africa, shows Captain Olsen (ship's Master), at age 51, was 5'8" tall and weighed 210 pounds. He had accumulated 36 years of service at sea.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
USMM
Service No: 163787
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Paris, Texas
On Nov 11, 1942, the SS James McKay was in New York being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The ship was armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns and a 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew.
HERMAN NICKOLAI OLSEN, age 52, was Master of the SS James McKay on Dec 19, 1942 as the ship sailed out of New York Harbor with Convey HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600, one of which hit amidships. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, causing an explosion, followed by two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
Father: Kristian Olsen
Spouse: MARY LAMM, married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, LA. Divorced before 1930.
LELIA MAY (STRICKLAND)
Mr. Olsen Emigrated from Norway on Mar 16, 1909, arriving at Perth Amboy, NJ on Aug 23, 1910. On June 2, 1920, he was Naturalized as a U.S. citizen by the Circuit Court of New Orleans, LA. At that time, he was 29 years old and married to Mary (Lamm), age 19, and they lived in New Orleans.
Mr. Olsen and Mary Lamm were married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, but divorced before the 1930 Census enumeration. The 1940 Census for Paris, Texas shows him married to Lelia (Strickland).
The Oct 24, 1942 crew list for the SS James McKay, arrived New York from Capetown, S. Africa, shows Captain Olsen (ship's Master), at age 51, was 5'8" tall and weighed 210 pounds. He had accumulated 36 years of service at sea.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
USMM
Service No: 163787
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Paris, Texas
On Nov 11, 1942, the SS James McKay was in New York being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The ship was armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns and a 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew.
HERMAN NICKOLAI OLSEN, age 52, was Master of the SS James McKay on Dec 19, 1942 as the ship sailed out of New York Harbor with Convey HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600, one of which hit amidships. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, causing an explosion, followed by two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
Spouse: MARY LAMM, married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, LA. Divorced before 1930.
LELIA MAY (STRICKLAND)
Mr. Olsen Emigrated from Norway on Mar 16, 1909, arriving at Perth Amboy, NJ on Aug 23, 1910. On June 2, 1920, he was Naturalized as a U.S. citizen by the Circuit Court of New Orleans, LA. At that time, he was 29 years old and married to Mary (Lamm), age 19, and they lived in New Orleans.
Mr. Olsen and Mary Lamm were married Apr 10, 1917 in New Orleans, but divorced before the 1930 Census enumeration. The 1940 Census for Paris, Texas shows him married to Lelia (Strickland).
The Oct 24, 1942 crew list for the SS James McKay, arrived New York from Capetown, S. Africa, shows Captain Olsen (ship's Master), at age 51, was 5'8" tall and weighed 210 pounds. He had accumulated 36 years of service at sea.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
USMM
Service No: 163787
Award: Mariners Medal
Address of Record: Paris, Texas
On Nov 11, 1942, the SS James McKay was in New York being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The ship was armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns and a 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew.
HERMAN NICKOLAI OLSEN, age 52, was Master of the SS James McKay on Dec 19, 1942 as the ship sailed out of New York Harbor with Convey HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600, one of which hit amidships. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, causing an explosion, followed by two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
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