Parents: Leola M. and Estes Blackwood BILLINGER
Brother: William Billinger
Half-Siblings (Billinger): Anna V., Elmer E., Estes B. Jr.
Spouse: Helen Margaret MEYER Billinger
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: 19701
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Cranford, New Jersey
Two ships sailed out of Aruba's San Nicolas harbor just after sunrise on June 4, 1942. One, the Panamanian tanker C. O. Stillman, with a cargo of 125,812 barrels of fuel oil, was bound for New York. The other, the American tanker L.J. Drake, was headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico with a consignment of 72,961 barrels of gasoline. In compliance with orders from the British Naval Routing Officer at Aruba, the two ships were traveling together at that point. However, the L.J. Drake's speed of 9 knots, as opposed to the Stillman's of 9 1/2, caused it to lag behind and by nightfall it was barely visible to the Stillman.
First Engineer IRA WILLIE BILLINGER was on the L.J. Drake as it left Aruba on the 4th. Although the tanker was sailing alone the next morning, it was armed with one 4in, one 3in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns and the complement of 40 included a six-man Navy Armed Guard crew. By then, coded messages were being received, warning of enemy submarine activity in the area.
Late in the evening of the 5th, the L.J. Drake was hit with three torpedoes, fired by German submarine U-68, causing it to explode in flames, leaving only bits and pieces of wreckage.
There were 35 Merchant Mariners and 6 Naval Armed Guards on board; none survived.
Brother: William Billinger
Half-Siblings (Billinger): Anna V., Elmer E., Estes B. Jr.
Spouse: Helen Margaret MEYER Billinger
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: 19701
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Cranford, New Jersey
Two ships sailed out of Aruba's San Nicolas harbor just after sunrise on June 4, 1942. One, the Panamanian tanker C. O. Stillman, with a cargo of 125,812 barrels of fuel oil, was bound for New York. The other, the American tanker L.J. Drake, was headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico with a consignment of 72,961 barrels of gasoline. In compliance with orders from the British Naval Routing Officer at Aruba, the two ships were traveling together at that point. However, the L.J. Drake's speed of 9 knots, as opposed to the Stillman's of 9 1/2, caused it to lag behind and by nightfall it was barely visible to the Stillman.
First Engineer IRA WILLIE BILLINGER was on the L.J. Drake as it left Aruba on the 4th. Although the tanker was sailing alone the next morning, it was armed with one 4in, one 3in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns and the complement of 40 included a six-man Navy Armed Guard crew. By then, coded messages were being received, warning of enemy submarine activity in the area.
Late in the evening of the 5th, the L.J. Drake was hit with three torpedoes, fired by German submarine U-68, causing it to explode in flames, leaving only bits and pieces of wreckage.
There were 35 Merchant Mariners and 6 Naval Armed Guards on board; none survived.
Parents: Leola M. and Estes Blackwood BILLINGER
Brother: William Billinger
Half-Siblings (Billinger): Anna V., Elmer E., Estes B. Jr.
Spouse: Helen Margaret MEYER Billinger
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: 19701
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Cranford, New Jersey
Two ships sailed out of Aruba's San Nicolas harbor just after sunrise on June 4, 1942. One, the Panamanian tanker C. O. Stillman, with a cargo of 125,812 barrels of fuel oil, was bound for New York. The other, the American tanker L.J. Drake, was headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico with a consignment of 72,961 barrels of gasoline. In compliance with orders from the British Naval Routing Officer at Aruba, the two ships were traveling together at that point. However, the L.J. Drake's speed of 9 knots, as opposed to the Stillman's of 9 1/2, caused it to lag behind and by nightfall it was barely visible to the Stillman.
First Engineer IRA WILLIE BILLINGER was on the L.J. Drake as it left Aruba on the 4th. Although the tanker was sailing alone the next morning, it was armed with one 4in, one 3in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns and the complement of 40 included a six-man Navy Armed Guard crew. By then, coded messages were being received, warning of enemy submarine activity in the area.
Late in the evening of the 5th, the L.J. Drake was hit with three torpedoes, fired by German submarine U-68, causing it to explode in flames, leaving only bits and pieces of wreckage.
There were 35 Merchant Mariners and 6 Naval Armed Guards on board; none survived.
Brother: William Billinger
Half-Siblings (Billinger): Anna V., Elmer E., Estes B. Jr.
Spouse: Helen Margaret MEYER Billinger
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No: 19701
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Cranford, New Jersey
Two ships sailed out of Aruba's San Nicolas harbor just after sunrise on June 4, 1942. One, the Panamanian tanker C. O. Stillman, with a cargo of 125,812 barrels of fuel oil, was bound for New York. The other, the American tanker L.J. Drake, was headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico with a consignment of 72,961 barrels of gasoline. In compliance with orders from the British Naval Routing Officer at Aruba, the two ships were traveling together at that point. However, the L.J. Drake's speed of 9 knots, as opposed to the Stillman's of 9 1/2, caused it to lag behind and by nightfall it was barely visible to the Stillman.
First Engineer IRA WILLIE BILLINGER was on the L.J. Drake as it left Aruba on the 4th. Although the tanker was sailing alone the next morning, it was armed with one 4in, one 3in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns and the complement of 40 included a six-man Navy Armed Guard crew. By then, coded messages were being received, warning of enemy submarine activity in the area.
Late in the evening of the 5th, the L.J. Drake was hit with three torpedoes, fired by German submarine U-68, causing it to explode in flames, leaving only bits and pieces of wreckage.
There were 35 Merchant Mariners and 6 Naval Armed Guards on board; none survived.
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