[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 411 Received in Senate (RDS)]

  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 411


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 8, 2002

                                Received

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the exploits of the officers and crew of the S.S. HENRY 
BACON, a United States Liberty ship that was sunk on February 23, 1945.

Whereas during World War II the United States Liberty ship S.S. HENRY BACON was 
        assigned the task of conveying war materials and supplies to the 
        beleaguered Russian nation via the dangerous Arctic Ocean passage 
        (referred to as the Murmansk Run) from Iceland or Scotland to Murmansk 
        in northern Russia, and faithfully fulfilled her mission;
Whereas in early 1945 the British navy, having rescued a number of Norwegian 
        civilians from occupied Norway and transported them to Murmansk, 
        distributed them among the HENRY BACON and certain other merchant ships 
        for transportation to England, with 19 of such refugees being assigned 
        to the HENRY BACON;
Whereas a convoy carrying those refugees, designated as Convoy RA 64 and 
        consisting of 35 ships and naval escorts, departed Murmansk on February 
        17, 1945, amid one of the worst storms ever registered in the Arctic 
        Ocean;
Whereas the HENRY BACON, with a full crew and refugees on board, sailing as part 
        of that convoy, suffered damage from the force of the storms and from 
        internal mechanical problems;
Whereas the HENRY BACON, while suffering from a loss of steering capacity, lost 
        her place in the convoy and became a stray, unable to communicate with 
        the convoy and required to maintain radio silence;
Whereas the HENRY BACON was left to her own devices and was in such dire straits 
        that engine room workers used a sledgehammer and wedge to physically 
        turn the ship;
Whereas on February 23, 1945, the HENRY BACON, alone in the freezing sea some 50 
        miles from the convoy, came under attack by 23 Junker JU-88 torpedo 
        bombers of the German Luftwaffe;
Whereas armed with only the small but formidable antiaircraft battery with which 
        such merchantmen were equipped, the United States Navy Armed Guard on 
        board the ship and the ship's merchant sailors fought gallantly against 
        the oncoming torpedo bombers;
Whereas although mortally wounded after a German pilot succeeded in scoring a 
        hit with a torpedo to the ship, the HENRY BACON fought back, shooting 
        down a confirmed three enemy planes and crippling at least two more;
Whereas when the HENRY BACON began to sink, her captain ensured that all 19 
        Norwegian refugees on board received a place in one of the undamaged 
        lifeboats;
Whereas when the lifeboat supply was exhausted, crewmen made rough rafts from 
        the railroad ties that had been used to secure locomotives delivered to 
        Russia;
Whereas the HENRY BACON went down with 28 members of her crew, including Captain 
        Alfred Carini, Chief Engineer Donald Haviland, Bosun Holcomb Lammon Jr., 
        and the commanding officer of the United States Navy Armed Guard unit 
        aboard, Lieutenant (junior grade) John Sippola, but in its sinking kept 
        the German planes from looking further and locating the main body of the 
        convoy;
Whereas the 19 Norwegian refugees, as well as the other survivors, were rescued 
        by British destroyers and those refugees were ultimately returned to 
        Norway; and
Whereas the actions of the officers and crew of the HENRY BACON were in the 
        finest tradition of the United States Merchant Marine and the United 
        States Navy and have been recognized by the people of Norway and Russia 
        but, until now, have not been acknowledged by their own Nation: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress recognizes the valiant deeds of the officers and crew 
of the S.S. HENRY BACON, a World War II United States Liberty ship that 
was sunk by German aircraft on February 23, 1945.

            Passed the House of Representatives October 7, 2002.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.