Earl served as a Messman, S.S. John Straub, U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.
He resided in Snohomish, Washington prior to the war.
The S.S. John Straub was en-route from Seattle, Washington to the Aleutians with 25,000 barrels of diesel, 9,000 barrels of high octane aviation fuel and other supplies.
The ship was hit by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I-180 about 100 miles east of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The ship broke in two. The forward section sank in about 2 minutes while the rear of the ship didn't sink until about 14 hours later.
There was a crew of " 68 " on board made up of a crew of 41 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. Only 2 Merchant Mariners and 13 Navy Armed Guards survived.
Earl was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of Lewis Lester Ahrens (1876-1933) and Agnes Eveline Russell Ahrens.
Note: Japanese submarine I-180 was sunk one week later on April 26, 1944 by the U.S.S. Gilmore (DE-18).
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Snohomish, Washington prior to the war.
The S.S. John Straub was en-route from Seattle, Washington to the Aleutians with 25,000 barrels of diesel, 9,000 barrels of high octane aviation fuel and other supplies.
The ship was hit by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I-180 about 100 miles east of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The ship broke in two. The forward section sank in about 2 minutes while the rear of the ship didn't sink until about 14 hours later.
There was a crew of " 68 " on board made up of a crew of 41 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. Only 2 Merchant Mariners and 13 Navy Armed Guards survived.
Earl was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of Lewis Lester Ahrens (1876-1933) and Agnes Eveline Russell Ahrens.
Note: Japanese submarine I-180 was sunk one week later on April 26, 1944 by the U.S.S. Gilmore (DE-18).
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Earl served as a Messman, S.S. John Straub, U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.
He resided in Snohomish, Washington prior to the war.
The S.S. John Straub was en-route from Seattle, Washington to the Aleutians with 25,000 barrels of diesel, 9,000 barrels of high octane aviation fuel and other supplies.
The ship was hit by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I-180 about 100 miles east of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The ship broke in two. The forward section sank in about 2 minutes while the rear of the ship didn't sink until about 14 hours later.
There was a crew of " 68 " on board made up of a crew of 41 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. Only 2 Merchant Mariners and 13 Navy Armed Guards survived.
Earl was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of Lewis Lester Ahrens (1876-1933) and Agnes Eveline Russell Ahrens.
Note: Japanese submarine I-180 was sunk one week later on April 26, 1944 by the U.S.S. Gilmore (DE-18).
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Snohomish, Washington prior to the war.
The S.S. John Straub was en-route from Seattle, Washington to the Aleutians with 25,000 barrels of diesel, 9,000 barrels of high octane aviation fuel and other supplies.
The ship was hit by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I-180 about 100 miles east of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The ship broke in two. The forward section sank in about 2 minutes while the rear of the ship didn't sink until about 14 hours later.
There was a crew of " 68 " on board made up of a crew of 41 Merchant Mariners and 27 Navy Armed Guards. Only 2 Merchant Mariners and 13 Navy Armed Guards survived.
Earl was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner's Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
Son of Lewis Lester Ahrens (1876-1933) and Agnes Eveline Russell Ahrens.
Note: Japanese submarine I-180 was sunk one week later on April 26, 1944 by the U.S.S. Gilmore (DE-18).
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
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