John served as a Fireman First Class, USS Eagle 56 ( PE-56 ), U.S. Navy during World War II.
He resided in Verplanck, Westchester County, New York prior to the war and enlisted in the Navy on November 27, 1943 in Montrose, New York. John was assigned received on board the " Eagle 56 " on June 21, 1944.
At noon on April 23, 1945 " Eagle 56 " exploded amidships and broke into two pieces 3 miles off Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The destroyer " U.S.S. Selfridge ( DD-357 ) " was operating near " Eagle 56 " and arrived 30 minutes after the explosion to rescue " 14 survivors " from the crew of 63.
The Selfridge obtained a sharp, well-defined sonar contact during the rescue and dropped nine Mark IX Mod 2 depth charges without obvious result. According to a classified Navy report, " Germand Submarine U-853 " had been operating in the waters off Maine.
At a Naval Board of Inquiry in Portland the following week, five of the 14 survivors claimed to have seen a submarine. Several spotted a red and yellow emblem on the submarine's sail. These insignia match the markings of U-853: a red horse on a yellow shield. " Eagle 56's " boiler was overhauled just two weeks before the sinking, and none of the boilers on the other Eagle Boats had failed. Nevertheless, the official Navy inquiry concluded that Eagle 56 had suffered a boiler explosion.
In 2001, the Naval Historical Center reviewed the case and reclassified the sinking as a " combat loss ". In June 2001, Purple Heart medals were awarded to three survivors and the next of kin of those survivors who had passed away and also to the next of kin to those " Killed or Missing" in the sinking.
As of 2007, this is the only time that the U.S. Navy has overruled its own Court of Inquiry.
The ship's wreckage was located in June 2018, and visited by a civilian dive team later the same month. It lies five miles off the coast of Maine at a depth of 300 feet. A video taken by the divers shows that the" Eagle 56's " boilers are intact.
John was declared " Missing In Action " when the " Eagle 56 " was torpedoed and sunk by German Submarine U-853 off the coast of Portland, Maine during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 8164878
Son of Mrs. Rose Alexander.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For those who "Gave Their All" on the U.S.S. Eagle :
" Click Here "
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Verplanck, Westchester County, New York prior to the war and enlisted in the Navy on November 27, 1943 in Montrose, New York. John was assigned received on board the " Eagle 56 " on June 21, 1944.
At noon on April 23, 1945 " Eagle 56 " exploded amidships and broke into two pieces 3 miles off Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The destroyer " U.S.S. Selfridge ( DD-357 ) " was operating near " Eagle 56 " and arrived 30 minutes after the explosion to rescue " 14 survivors " from the crew of 63.
The Selfridge obtained a sharp, well-defined sonar contact during the rescue and dropped nine Mark IX Mod 2 depth charges without obvious result. According to a classified Navy report, " Germand Submarine U-853 " had been operating in the waters off Maine.
At a Naval Board of Inquiry in Portland the following week, five of the 14 survivors claimed to have seen a submarine. Several spotted a red and yellow emblem on the submarine's sail. These insignia match the markings of U-853: a red horse on a yellow shield. " Eagle 56's " boiler was overhauled just two weeks before the sinking, and none of the boilers on the other Eagle Boats had failed. Nevertheless, the official Navy inquiry concluded that Eagle 56 had suffered a boiler explosion.
In 2001, the Naval Historical Center reviewed the case and reclassified the sinking as a " combat loss ". In June 2001, Purple Heart medals were awarded to three survivors and the next of kin of those survivors who had passed away and also to the next of kin to those " Killed or Missing" in the sinking.
As of 2007, this is the only time that the U.S. Navy has overruled its own Court of Inquiry.
The ship's wreckage was located in June 2018, and visited by a civilian dive team later the same month. It lies five miles off the coast of Maine at a depth of 300 feet. A video taken by the divers shows that the" Eagle 56's " boilers are intact.
John was declared " Missing In Action " when the " Eagle 56 " was torpedoed and sunk by German Submarine U-853 off the coast of Portland, Maine during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 8164878
Son of Mrs. Rose Alexander.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For those who "Gave Their All" on the U.S.S. Eagle :
" Click Here "
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
John served as a Fireman First Class, USS Eagle 56 ( PE-56 ), U.S. Navy during World War II.
He resided in Verplanck, Westchester County, New York prior to the war and enlisted in the Navy on November 27, 1943 in Montrose, New York. John was assigned received on board the " Eagle 56 " on June 21, 1944.
At noon on April 23, 1945 " Eagle 56 " exploded amidships and broke into two pieces 3 miles off Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The destroyer " U.S.S. Selfridge ( DD-357 ) " was operating near " Eagle 56 " and arrived 30 minutes after the explosion to rescue " 14 survivors " from the crew of 63.
The Selfridge obtained a sharp, well-defined sonar contact during the rescue and dropped nine Mark IX Mod 2 depth charges without obvious result. According to a classified Navy report, " Germand Submarine U-853 " had been operating in the waters off Maine.
At a Naval Board of Inquiry in Portland the following week, five of the 14 survivors claimed to have seen a submarine. Several spotted a red and yellow emblem on the submarine's sail. These insignia match the markings of U-853: a red horse on a yellow shield. " Eagle 56's " boiler was overhauled just two weeks before the sinking, and none of the boilers on the other Eagle Boats had failed. Nevertheless, the official Navy inquiry concluded that Eagle 56 had suffered a boiler explosion.
In 2001, the Naval Historical Center reviewed the case and reclassified the sinking as a " combat loss ". In June 2001, Purple Heart medals were awarded to three survivors and the next of kin of those survivors who had passed away and also to the next of kin to those " Killed or Missing" in the sinking.
As of 2007, this is the only time that the U.S. Navy has overruled its own Court of Inquiry.
The ship's wreckage was located in June 2018, and visited by a civilian dive team later the same month. It lies five miles off the coast of Maine at a depth of 300 feet. A video taken by the divers shows that the" Eagle 56's " boilers are intact.
John was declared " Missing In Action " when the " Eagle 56 " was torpedoed and sunk by German Submarine U-853 off the coast of Portland, Maine during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 8164878
Son of Mrs. Rose Alexander.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For those who "Gave Their All" on the U.S.S. Eagle :
" Click Here "
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Verplanck, Westchester County, New York prior to the war and enlisted in the Navy on November 27, 1943 in Montrose, New York. John was assigned received on board the " Eagle 56 " on June 21, 1944.
At noon on April 23, 1945 " Eagle 56 " exploded amidships and broke into two pieces 3 miles off Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The destroyer " U.S.S. Selfridge ( DD-357 ) " was operating near " Eagle 56 " and arrived 30 minutes after the explosion to rescue " 14 survivors " from the crew of 63.
The Selfridge obtained a sharp, well-defined sonar contact during the rescue and dropped nine Mark IX Mod 2 depth charges without obvious result. According to a classified Navy report, " Germand Submarine U-853 " had been operating in the waters off Maine.
At a Naval Board of Inquiry in Portland the following week, five of the 14 survivors claimed to have seen a submarine. Several spotted a red and yellow emblem on the submarine's sail. These insignia match the markings of U-853: a red horse on a yellow shield. " Eagle 56's " boiler was overhauled just two weeks before the sinking, and none of the boilers on the other Eagle Boats had failed. Nevertheless, the official Navy inquiry concluded that Eagle 56 had suffered a boiler explosion.
In 2001, the Naval Historical Center reviewed the case and reclassified the sinking as a " combat loss ". In June 2001, Purple Heart medals were awarded to three survivors and the next of kin of those survivors who had passed away and also to the next of kin to those " Killed or Missing" in the sinking.
As of 2007, this is the only time that the U.S. Navy has overruled its own Court of Inquiry.
The ship's wreckage was located in June 2018, and visited by a civilian dive team later the same month. It lies five miles off the coast of Maine at a depth of 300 feet. A video taken by the divers shows that the" Eagle 56's " boilers are intact.
John was declared " Missing In Action " when the " Eagle 56 " was torpedoed and sunk by German Submarine U-853 off the coast of Portland, Maine during the war.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 8164878
Son of Mrs. Rose Alexander.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For those who "Gave Their All" on the U.S.S. Eagle :
" Click Here "
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
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