Parents: Flossie D. (SCANLAN) and Leander Louis VANVELSON
Siblings: Helen L., Wayne K., Adeline J., Grace M., Arline S. and Myron E.
Charles VanVelson was the youngest of Flossie and Leander VanVelson's seven children. The 1940 Census shows he had completed high school and was working on the family farm. He was 21 years old and the last of the VanVelson children still at home. According to a Sept 1942 crew list from the SS Kenmar, he was 5'7" and weighed 145 pounds.
Although Mr. VanVelson died on Apr 5, 1943, he wasn't officially declared dead until Apr 6, 1944.
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USNR
Service No: 6480319
Awards: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
Entered the Service from Nebraska
In March 1943, the American tanker MS Sunoil was equipped with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns, and a 26-man gun crew that included Signalman 3rd Class CHARLES MARION VANVELSON. On the 27th, Mr. VanVelson was on board as the tanker sailed out of New York with a 62-ship convoy, HX-231. Her cargo of 102,000 barrels of fuel oil was bound for Halifax and Scotland.
By Apr 5th, after leaving Halifax, the tanker had developed engine problems and was forced to fall back (straggle) from the convoy. German submarine U-563 spotted the zigzagging Sunoil and fired three torpedoes, one of which hit. The Armed Guards on board forced the U-boat to submerge, and a distress signal was heard by British ship HMS Vidette which came forward and averted another attack. Later that day, another submarine, U-530, spied the tanker and fired a spread of three torpedoes; one hit and the ship stopped. After being hit by two more torpedoes, the MS Sunoil quickly sank. A destroyer in the vicinity searched for any sign of the ship without success before returning to the convoy.
There were 43 Merchant Mariners and 26 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
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About the US NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
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There is a memorial headstone for Charles VanVelson at Brule Cemetery, Keith Co., Neb.
(sources: 1920, 1940 Census(NE); WWII Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945; US Rosters of WWII Dead, US Headstone Applications for Military Veterans 1925-1963; Crew Lists - all found on ancestry.com; also http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=82562 and uboat.net)
Siblings: Helen L., Wayne K., Adeline J., Grace M., Arline S. and Myron E.
Charles VanVelson was the youngest of Flossie and Leander VanVelson's seven children. The 1940 Census shows he had completed high school and was working on the family farm. He was 21 years old and the last of the VanVelson children still at home. According to a Sept 1942 crew list from the SS Kenmar, he was 5'7" and weighed 145 pounds.
Although Mr. VanVelson died on Apr 5, 1943, he wasn't officially declared dead until Apr 6, 1944.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
USNR
Service No: 6480319
Awards: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
Entered the Service from Nebraska
In March 1943, the American tanker MS Sunoil was equipped with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns, and a 26-man gun crew that included Signalman 3rd Class CHARLES MARION VANVELSON. On the 27th, Mr. VanVelson was on board as the tanker sailed out of New York with a 62-ship convoy, HX-231. Her cargo of 102,000 barrels of fuel oil was bound for Halifax and Scotland.
By Apr 5th, after leaving Halifax, the tanker had developed engine problems and was forced to fall back (straggle) from the convoy. German submarine U-563 spotted the zigzagging Sunoil and fired three torpedoes, one of which hit. The Armed Guards on board forced the U-boat to submerge, and a distress signal was heard by British ship HMS Vidette which came forward and averted another attack. Later that day, another submarine, U-530, spied the tanker and fired a spread of three torpedoes; one hit and the ship stopped. After being hit by two more torpedoes, the MS Sunoil quickly sank. A destroyer in the vicinity searched for any sign of the ship without success before returning to the convoy.
There were 43 Merchant Mariners and 26 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the US NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
There is a memorial headstone for Charles VanVelson at Brule Cemetery, Keith Co., Neb.
(sources: 1920, 1940 Census(NE); WWII Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945; US Rosters of WWII Dead, US Headstone Applications for Military Veterans 1925-1963; Crew Lists - all found on ancestry.com; also http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=82562 and uboat.net)
Parents: Flossie D. (SCANLAN) and Leander Louis VANVELSON
Siblings: Helen L., Wayne K., Adeline J., Grace M., Arline S. and Myron E.
Charles VanVelson was the youngest of Flossie and Leander VanVelson's seven children. The 1940 Census shows he had completed high school and was working on the family farm. He was 21 years old and the last of the VanVelson children still at home. According to a Sept 1942 crew list from the SS Kenmar, he was 5'7" and weighed 145 pounds.
Although Mr. VanVelson died on Apr 5, 1943, he wasn't officially declared dead until Apr 6, 1944.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
USNR
Service No: 6480319
Awards: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
Entered the Service from Nebraska
In March 1943, the American tanker MS Sunoil was equipped with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns, and a 26-man gun crew that included Signalman 3rd Class CHARLES MARION VANVELSON. On the 27th, Mr. VanVelson was on board as the tanker sailed out of New York with a 62-ship convoy, HX-231. Her cargo of 102,000 barrels of fuel oil was bound for Halifax and Scotland.
By Apr 5th, after leaving Halifax, the tanker had developed engine problems and was forced to fall back (straggle) from the convoy. German submarine U-563 spotted the zigzagging Sunoil and fired three torpedoes, one of which hit. The Armed Guards on board forced the U-boat to submerge, and a distress signal was heard by British ship HMS Vidette which came forward and averted another attack. Later that day, another submarine, U-530, spied the tanker and fired a spread of three torpedoes; one hit and the ship stopped. After being hit by two more torpedoes, the MS Sunoil quickly sank. A destroyer in the vicinity searched for any sign of the ship without success before returning to the convoy.
There were 43 Merchant Mariners and 26 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the US NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
There is a memorial headstone for Charles VanVelson at Brule Cemetery, Keith Co., Neb.
(sources: 1920, 1940 Census(NE); WWII Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945; US Rosters of WWII Dead, US Headstone Applications for Military Veterans 1925-1963; Crew Lists - all found on ancestry.com; also http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=82562 and uboat.net)
Siblings: Helen L., Wayne K., Adeline J., Grace M., Arline S. and Myron E.
Charles VanVelson was the youngest of Flossie and Leander VanVelson's seven children. The 1940 Census shows he had completed high school and was working on the family farm. He was 21 years old and the last of the VanVelson children still at home. According to a Sept 1942 crew list from the SS Kenmar, he was 5'7" and weighed 145 pounds.
Although Mr. VanVelson died on Apr 5, 1943, he wasn't officially declared dead until Apr 6, 1944.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
USNR
Service No: 6480319
Awards: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Action Ribbon
Entered the Service from Nebraska
In March 1943, the American tanker MS Sunoil was equipped with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns, and a 26-man gun crew that included Signalman 3rd Class CHARLES MARION VANVELSON. On the 27th, Mr. VanVelson was on board as the tanker sailed out of New York with a 62-ship convoy, HX-231. Her cargo of 102,000 barrels of fuel oil was bound for Halifax and Scotland.
By Apr 5th, after leaving Halifax, the tanker had developed engine problems and was forced to fall back (straggle) from the convoy. German submarine U-563 spotted the zigzagging Sunoil and fired three torpedoes, one of which hit. The Armed Guards on board forced the U-boat to submerge, and a distress signal was heard by British ship HMS Vidette which came forward and averted another attack. Later that day, another submarine, U-530, spied the tanker and fired a spread of three torpedoes; one hit and the ship stopped. After being hit by two more torpedoes, the MS Sunoil quickly sank. A destroyer in the vicinity searched for any sign of the ship without success before returning to the convoy.
There were 43 Merchant Mariners and 26 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the US NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
There is a memorial headstone for Charles VanVelson at Brule Cemetery, Keith Co., Neb.
(sources: 1920, 1940 Census(NE); WWII Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945; US Rosters of WWII Dead, US Headstone Applications for Military Veterans 1925-1963; Crew Lists - all found on ancestry.com; also http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=82562 and uboat.net)
Inscription
VAN VELSON CHARLES M SEAMAN 1 C USNR NEBRASKA
Family Members
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