Son of John August Anderson who resided in Chicago, Illinois.
Ralph served as an Signalman Second Class, U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.
He resided in Chicago, Illinois prior to the war.
The Escanaba was on escort duty from Narsarsuaq, Greenland to St. John's, Newfoundland.
During this escort flame and dense smoke were seen rising from the Escanaba, though no explosion was heard by the other ships in the convoy, and she sank within minutes taking 13 officers and 92 men.
Two men, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Melvin A. Baldwin and Seaman 1st Class Raymond F. O'Malley, Jr. were rescued and they found the body of Executive Officer Lt. Robert Henry Prause, Jr.
Ralph was declared Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 503007
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note:
The U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), on February 3, 1943, participated in the rescue of the survivors of the S.S. Dorchester, which had been torpedoed by a German submarine.
The rescue was marked by the Escanaba's historic first use of rescue swimmers clad in survival suits to aid survivors who were too weakened by shock or hypothermia in the icy water to pull themselves up cargo nets or sea ladders to the safety and warmth of rescuers' ships, or even to hold on to ropes cast to them from the rescue vessel.
By way of the lines the rescue swimmers tied around those who were having trouble helping themselves, many struggling survivors who, debilitated by the cold, would have otherwise been consigned to a watery grave were able to be hauled aboard the Escanaba by crewmen on deck.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Special thanks to:
ShaneO for submitting this record for bio updates!
Ralph served as an Signalman Second Class, U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.
He resided in Chicago, Illinois prior to the war.
The Escanaba was on escort duty from Narsarsuaq, Greenland to St. John's, Newfoundland.
During this escort flame and dense smoke were seen rising from the Escanaba, though no explosion was heard by the other ships in the convoy, and she sank within minutes taking 13 officers and 92 men.
Two men, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Melvin A. Baldwin and Seaman 1st Class Raymond F. O'Malley, Jr. were rescued and they found the body of Executive Officer Lt. Robert Henry Prause, Jr.
Ralph was declared Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 503007
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note:
The U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), on February 3, 1943, participated in the rescue of the survivors of the S.S. Dorchester, which had been torpedoed by a German submarine.
The rescue was marked by the Escanaba's historic first use of rescue swimmers clad in survival suits to aid survivors who were too weakened by shock or hypothermia in the icy water to pull themselves up cargo nets or sea ladders to the safety and warmth of rescuers' ships, or even to hold on to ropes cast to them from the rescue vessel.
By way of the lines the rescue swimmers tied around those who were having trouble helping themselves, many struggling survivors who, debilitated by the cold, would have otherwise been consigned to a watery grave were able to be hauled aboard the Escanaba by crewmen on deck.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Special thanks to:
ShaneO for submitting this record for bio updates!
Son of John August Anderson who resided in Chicago, Illinois.
Ralph served as an Signalman Second Class, U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.
He resided in Chicago, Illinois prior to the war.
The Escanaba was on escort duty from Narsarsuaq, Greenland to St. John's, Newfoundland.
During this escort flame and dense smoke were seen rising from the Escanaba, though no explosion was heard by the other ships in the convoy, and she sank within minutes taking 13 officers and 92 men.
Two men, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Melvin A. Baldwin and Seaman 1st Class Raymond F. O'Malley, Jr. were rescued and they found the body of Executive Officer Lt. Robert Henry Prause, Jr.
Ralph was declared Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 503007
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note:
The U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), on February 3, 1943, participated in the rescue of the survivors of the S.S. Dorchester, which had been torpedoed by a German submarine.
The rescue was marked by the Escanaba's historic first use of rescue swimmers clad in survival suits to aid survivors who were too weakened by shock or hypothermia in the icy water to pull themselves up cargo nets or sea ladders to the safety and warmth of rescuers' ships, or even to hold on to ropes cast to them from the rescue vessel.
By way of the lines the rescue swimmers tied around those who were having trouble helping themselves, many struggling survivors who, debilitated by the cold, would have otherwise been consigned to a watery grave were able to be hauled aboard the Escanaba by crewmen on deck.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Special thanks to:
ShaneO for submitting this record for bio updates!
Ralph served as an Signalman Second Class, U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.
He resided in Chicago, Illinois prior to the war.
The Escanaba was on escort duty from Narsarsuaq, Greenland to St. John's, Newfoundland.
During this escort flame and dense smoke were seen rising from the Escanaba, though no explosion was heard by the other ships in the convoy, and she sank within minutes taking 13 officers and 92 men.
Two men, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Melvin A. Baldwin and Seaman 1st Class Raymond F. O'Malley, Jr. were rescued and they found the body of Executive Officer Lt. Robert Henry Prause, Jr.
Ralph was declared Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 503007
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Historical Note:
The U.S.C.G.C. Escanaba (WPG-77), on February 3, 1943, participated in the rescue of the survivors of the S.S. Dorchester, which had been torpedoed by a German submarine.
The rescue was marked by the Escanaba's historic first use of rescue swimmers clad in survival suits to aid survivors who were too weakened by shock or hypothermia in the icy water to pull themselves up cargo nets or sea ladders to the safety and warmth of rescuers' ships, or even to hold on to ropes cast to them from the rescue vessel.
By way of the lines the rescue swimmers tied around those who were having trouble helping themselves, many struggling survivors who, debilitated by the cold, would have otherwise been consigned to a watery grave were able to be hauled aboard the Escanaba by crewmen on deck.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Special thanks to:
ShaneO for submitting this record for bio updates!
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