On March 26, 1942, the Dixie Arrow was traveling unarmed and alone, approaching Cape Hatteras, enroute from Texas City, TX to Paulsboro, NJ with 96,000 barrels of crude oil. The U-71 had spent the night waiting near the Diamond Shoals Light Buoy hoping to intercept targets. With the breaking dawn, the u-boat captain, KK Walter Flascheenberg, was about the order his boat to the bottom when he spotted the masts of the approaching tanker on the horizon. He manuevered his boat against the zig-zag course of the Dixie Arrow trying to get the tanker between the U-71 and shore.
At 0858 EWT, 3 torpedoes slammed into the starboard side of the Dixie Arrow and in less than 1 minute the tanker was mortally wounded and engulfed in flames. The first torpedo hit at the midship deckhouse, destroying it and killing most of the deck officers. 60 seconds later the 2nd and 3rd torpedoes hit just aft of the deckhouse and cracked the tanker in two.
Chaos reigned as oil poured from the ruptured bunkers turning the ship and the surrounding waters into a hellstorm of thick smoke and flames. Assisted by the wind, the flames raced from the bridge to the forecastle/bow, where a group of men were trapped with no alternatives but to be burned alive on the ship or jump from the moving ship and into the flaming sea. Fortunately able-bodied seaman, Oscar G. Chappell was severely injured but still alive and at his station in the wheelhouse. Chappell turned the ship hard to starboard and held the tanker into the wind driving the waterborne flames away from the trapped men on the bow, allowing them to jump clear of the sea of burning oil. The flames however came directly back on Chappell and the wheelhouse where he was soon engulfed in flames. His quick actions and sacrifice saved his shipmates. Chappell was posthumously awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for his actions and a liberty ship, the SS Oscar G. Chappell, was later named in his honor. Today, the Navy League annually awards the THE ABLE SEAMAN OSCAR CHAPPELL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MARITIME STEWARDSHIP to recognize "selfless dedication to shipmates".
His body was never recovered. The marker was put in Hopewell Cemetery to remember his bravery. King Taylor asked me to find a way to put a military marker honoring his service. After several years of futile effort, I contacted Congressman Joe Barton's office. His assistant was able to find his records and the marker was placed in the cemetery. His records were filed under the U. S. Coast Guard instead of the U. S. Merchant Marine. Congressman Barton came to Hopewell to speak at the unveiling of this stone. (Gary Adams)
The President of the United States takes Pleasure in Presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to
Oscar Chappell*
Able Seaman on SS Dixie Arrow 3/26/42
For heroism beyond the line of duty.
His ship, carrying a full cargo of crude oil, was torpedoed three times within one minute. The first torpedo struck directly below the forward deckhouse, and the other two slightly abaft this point causing the ship to buckle amidship. The explosions immediately ignited the combustible cargo; all amidship and astern sections of the ship were enveloped in flames, and the fire rapidly spread over the ocean surrounding the ship. Injured by the explosions, with blood covering his head and shoulders, Chappell stuck to his post at the helm though the wheelhouse was in flames. He saw seven of his shipmates trapped on the forecastle head. Driven by the wind, the fire was sweeping toward them over the deck, and all escape was cut off by water-borne flames surrounding the bow. Fully aware of his own desperate situation, Chappell put the helm hard right and held the ship into the wind deflecting the flames upon himself, but enabling his shipmates to jump overboard clear of the blazing sea of oil. Placing his own safety beyond all consideration, his last thought and act was to assure the survival of his imperiled shipmates.
His magnificent courage and selfless disregard of his own life constitute a degree of heroism which will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.
For the President
Admiral Emory Scott Land
Merchant Marine distinguished Service Medal and citation for Oscar Chappell
At 0858 EWT, 3 torpedoes slammed into the starboard side of the Dixie Arrow and in less than 1 minute the tanker was mortally wounded and engulfed in flames. The first torpedo hit at the midship deckhouse, destroying it and killing most of the deck officers. 60 seconds later the 2nd and 3rd torpedoes hit just aft of the deckhouse and cracked the tanker in two.
Chaos reigned as oil poured from the ruptured bunkers turning the ship and the surrounding waters into a hellstorm of thick smoke and flames. Assisted by the wind, the flames raced from the bridge to the forecastle/bow, where a group of men were trapped with no alternatives but to be burned alive on the ship or jump from the moving ship and into the flaming sea. Fortunately able-bodied seaman, Oscar G. Chappell was severely injured but still alive and at his station in the wheelhouse. Chappell turned the ship hard to starboard and held the tanker into the wind driving the waterborne flames away from the trapped men on the bow, allowing them to jump clear of the sea of burning oil. The flames however came directly back on Chappell and the wheelhouse where he was soon engulfed in flames. His quick actions and sacrifice saved his shipmates. Chappell was posthumously awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for his actions and a liberty ship, the SS Oscar G. Chappell, was later named in his honor. Today, the Navy League annually awards the THE ABLE SEAMAN OSCAR CHAPPELL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MARITIME STEWARDSHIP to recognize "selfless dedication to shipmates".
His body was never recovered. The marker was put in Hopewell Cemetery to remember his bravery. King Taylor asked me to find a way to put a military marker honoring his service. After several years of futile effort, I contacted Congressman Joe Barton's office. His assistant was able to find his records and the marker was placed in the cemetery. His records were filed under the U. S. Coast Guard instead of the U. S. Merchant Marine. Congressman Barton came to Hopewell to speak at the unveiling of this stone. (Gary Adams)
The President of the United States takes Pleasure in Presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to
Oscar Chappell*
Able Seaman on SS Dixie Arrow 3/26/42
For heroism beyond the line of duty.
His ship, carrying a full cargo of crude oil, was torpedoed three times within one minute. The first torpedo struck directly below the forward deckhouse, and the other two slightly abaft this point causing the ship to buckle amidship. The explosions immediately ignited the combustible cargo; all amidship and astern sections of the ship were enveloped in flames, and the fire rapidly spread over the ocean surrounding the ship. Injured by the explosions, with blood covering his head and shoulders, Chappell stuck to his post at the helm though the wheelhouse was in flames. He saw seven of his shipmates trapped on the forecastle head. Driven by the wind, the fire was sweeping toward them over the deck, and all escape was cut off by water-borne flames surrounding the bow. Fully aware of his own desperate situation, Chappell put the helm hard right and held the ship into the wind deflecting the flames upon himself, but enabling his shipmates to jump overboard clear of the blazing sea of oil. Placing his own safety beyond all consideration, his last thought and act was to assure the survival of his imperiled shipmates.
His magnificent courage and selfless disregard of his own life constitute a degree of heroism which will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.
For the President
Admiral Emory Scott Land
Merchant Marine distinguished Service Medal and citation for Oscar Chappell
On March 26, 1942, the Dixie Arrow was traveling unarmed and alone, approaching Cape Hatteras, enroute from Texas City, TX to Paulsboro, NJ with 96,000 barrels of crude oil. The U-71 had spent the night waiting near the Diamond Shoals Light Buoy hoping to intercept targets. With the breaking dawn, the u-boat captain, KK Walter Flascheenberg, was about the order his boat to the bottom when he spotted the masts of the approaching tanker on the horizon. He manuevered his boat against the zig-zag course of the Dixie Arrow trying to get the tanker between the U-71 and shore.
At 0858 EWT, 3 torpedoes slammed into the starboard side of the Dixie Arrow and in less than 1 minute the tanker was mortally wounded and engulfed in flames. The first torpedo hit at the midship deckhouse, destroying it and killing most of the deck officers. 60 seconds later the 2nd and 3rd torpedoes hit just aft of the deckhouse and cracked the tanker in two.
Chaos reigned as oil poured from the ruptured bunkers turning the ship and the surrounding waters into a hellstorm of thick smoke and flames. Assisted by the wind, the flames raced from the bridge to the forecastle/bow, where a group of men were trapped with no alternatives but to be burned alive on the ship or jump from the moving ship and into the flaming sea. Fortunately able-bodied seaman, Oscar G. Chappell was severely injured but still alive and at his station in the wheelhouse. Chappell turned the ship hard to starboard and held the tanker into the wind driving the waterborne flames away from the trapped men on the bow, allowing them to jump clear of the sea of burning oil. The flames however came directly back on Chappell and the wheelhouse where he was soon engulfed in flames. His quick actions and sacrifice saved his shipmates. Chappell was posthumously awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for his actions and a liberty ship, the SS Oscar G. Chappell, was later named in his honor. Today, the Navy League annually awards the THE ABLE SEAMAN OSCAR CHAPPELL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MARITIME STEWARDSHIP to recognize "selfless dedication to shipmates".
His body was never recovered. The marker was put in Hopewell Cemetery to remember his bravery. King Taylor asked me to find a way to put a military marker honoring his service. After several years of futile effort, I contacted Congressman Joe Barton's office. His assistant was able to find his records and the marker was placed in the cemetery. His records were filed under the U. S. Coast Guard instead of the U. S. Merchant Marine. Congressman Barton came to Hopewell to speak at the unveiling of this stone. (Gary Adams)
The President of the United States takes Pleasure in Presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to
Oscar Chappell*
Able Seaman on SS Dixie Arrow 3/26/42
For heroism beyond the line of duty.
His ship, carrying a full cargo of crude oil, was torpedoed three times within one minute. The first torpedo struck directly below the forward deckhouse, and the other two slightly abaft this point causing the ship to buckle amidship. The explosions immediately ignited the combustible cargo; all amidship and astern sections of the ship were enveloped in flames, and the fire rapidly spread over the ocean surrounding the ship. Injured by the explosions, with blood covering his head and shoulders, Chappell stuck to his post at the helm though the wheelhouse was in flames. He saw seven of his shipmates trapped on the forecastle head. Driven by the wind, the fire was sweeping toward them over the deck, and all escape was cut off by water-borne flames surrounding the bow. Fully aware of his own desperate situation, Chappell put the helm hard right and held the ship into the wind deflecting the flames upon himself, but enabling his shipmates to jump overboard clear of the blazing sea of oil. Placing his own safety beyond all consideration, his last thought and act was to assure the survival of his imperiled shipmates.
His magnificent courage and selfless disregard of his own life constitute a degree of heroism which will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.
For the President
Admiral Emory Scott Land
Merchant Marine distinguished Service Medal and citation for Oscar Chappell
At 0858 EWT, 3 torpedoes slammed into the starboard side of the Dixie Arrow and in less than 1 minute the tanker was mortally wounded and engulfed in flames. The first torpedo hit at the midship deckhouse, destroying it and killing most of the deck officers. 60 seconds later the 2nd and 3rd torpedoes hit just aft of the deckhouse and cracked the tanker in two.
Chaos reigned as oil poured from the ruptured bunkers turning the ship and the surrounding waters into a hellstorm of thick smoke and flames. Assisted by the wind, the flames raced from the bridge to the forecastle/bow, where a group of men were trapped with no alternatives but to be burned alive on the ship or jump from the moving ship and into the flaming sea. Fortunately able-bodied seaman, Oscar G. Chappell was severely injured but still alive and at his station in the wheelhouse. Chappell turned the ship hard to starboard and held the tanker into the wind driving the waterborne flames away from the trapped men on the bow, allowing them to jump clear of the sea of burning oil. The flames however came directly back on Chappell and the wheelhouse where he was soon engulfed in flames. His quick actions and sacrifice saved his shipmates. Chappell was posthumously awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for his actions and a liberty ship, the SS Oscar G. Chappell, was later named in his honor. Today, the Navy League annually awards the THE ABLE SEAMAN OSCAR CHAPPELL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MARITIME STEWARDSHIP to recognize "selfless dedication to shipmates".
His body was never recovered. The marker was put in Hopewell Cemetery to remember his bravery. King Taylor asked me to find a way to put a military marker honoring his service. After several years of futile effort, I contacted Congressman Joe Barton's office. His assistant was able to find his records and the marker was placed in the cemetery. His records were filed under the U. S. Coast Guard instead of the U. S. Merchant Marine. Congressman Barton came to Hopewell to speak at the unveiling of this stone. (Gary Adams)
The President of the United States takes Pleasure in Presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to
Oscar Chappell*
Able Seaman on SS Dixie Arrow 3/26/42
For heroism beyond the line of duty.
His ship, carrying a full cargo of crude oil, was torpedoed three times within one minute. The first torpedo struck directly below the forward deckhouse, and the other two slightly abaft this point causing the ship to buckle amidship. The explosions immediately ignited the combustible cargo; all amidship and astern sections of the ship were enveloped in flames, and the fire rapidly spread over the ocean surrounding the ship. Injured by the explosions, with blood covering his head and shoulders, Chappell stuck to his post at the helm though the wheelhouse was in flames. He saw seven of his shipmates trapped on the forecastle head. Driven by the wind, the fire was sweeping toward them over the deck, and all escape was cut off by water-borne flames surrounding the bow. Fully aware of his own desperate situation, Chappell put the helm hard right and held the ship into the wind deflecting the flames upon himself, but enabling his shipmates to jump overboard clear of the blazing sea of oil. Placing his own safety beyond all consideration, his last thought and act was to assure the survival of his imperiled shipmates.
His magnificent courage and selfless disregard of his own life constitute a degree of heroism which will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.
For the President
Admiral Emory Scott Land
Merchant Marine distinguished Service Medal and citation for Oscar Chappell
