[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 130 (Monday, October 7, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H7125-H7127]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING EXPLOITS OF OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE S.S. HENRY BACON SUNK 
                          ON FEBRUARY 23, 1945

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 411) 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, in the waning days of World 
War II, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 411

       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,

[[Page H7126]]

     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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh).
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), the author of this legislation 
and a gentleman who worked very hard to ensure that we have this moment 
on the floor for this very, very worthy proposal.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
McHugh), the chairman, for yielding time to me, and also for his work 
to move this legislation through the Committee on Armed Services.
  Likewise, I thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the 
ranking member of the full committee, for his assistance, as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 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, in the waning days of World War II.
  During World War II, the 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 known as the Murmansk run.
  In early 1945, the British Navy, having rescued a number of Norwegian 
civilians from 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.
  On February 17, 1945, a convoy carrying these refugees and consisting 
of 35 ships and naval escorts departed Murmansk amid one of the worst 
storms ever registered in the Arctic ocean. 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. Suffering from a loss of steering capacity, the 
Henry Bacon lost her place in the convoy and became a stray, unable to 
communicate with the convoy, and required to maintain radio silence.

                              {time}  1815

  The Henry Bacon was in such dire straits that engine room workers 
used a sledge hammer and wedge to physically turn the ship.
  On February 23, 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 Luft Waffe. The United States Navy Armed Guard on 
board and the ship's merchant sailors fought gallantly against the 
oncoming torpedo bombers.
  Although sinking, after a German pilot succeeded in scoring a hit 
with a torpedo to the ship, the crew of the Henry Bacon fought back, 
shooting down a confirmed three enemy planes and crippling at least two 
more. As the Henry Bacon began to sink, her captain ensured that all 19 
Norwegian refugees on board received a place in one of the undamaged 
life boats. When the life boat supply was exhausted, crewmen made rough 
rafts from the railroad ties that had been used to secure locomotives 
delivered to Russia.
  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 John Sippola, but in its sinking kept the 
German planes from looking further and locating the main body of the 
convoy.
  British destroyers rescued the 19 Norwegian refugees as well as the 
other survivors. Those refugees were ultimately returned to Norway. I 
am pleased one of my constituents, Dr. Robert Alotta, authored a book, 
``The Last Voyage of the S.S. Henry Bacon,'' along with Donald Foxvog, 
documenting this heroic event. 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.
  The fabric of American history is interwoven with countless threads 
of valor on the field of battle, without which we would likely not 
enjoy the freedoms we have today. In recognizing these deeds, we 
preserve the memory of those who came before us for generations of 
Americans to come.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a small way to convey the thanks of a 
grateful Nation.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 411, 
introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Goodlatte). House Concurrent Resolution 411 recognizes 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, in the waning days of the 
Second World War.
  The S.S. Henry Bacon was one of over 2,700 liberty ships mass 
produced in our country. Assembled from large prefabricated sections, 
this pioneering method of production allowed the Henry Bacon to be 
built in 6 weeks and commissioned on November 11, 1942. During the war, 
liberty ships were called ugly ducklings. However, these ships were the 
work horses of the Second World War, the largest class of civilian made 
war ships ever built. The crews consisted of over 44 Merchant Marines 
and 12 to 25 Naval Armed Guards.
  Convoys of liberty ships filled the horizon as they carried cargos of 
grain and mail, ore and ammunition, trucks and troops across the 
Atlantic. A liberty ship can hold over 9,000 tons of cargo, in addition 
to trains, planes and tanks that were lashed to the decks.
  The Henry Bacon was part of a convoy of 35 ships and Naval escorts 
that departed Murmansk, Russia, on February 17, 1945, on a rescue 
operation to

[[Page H7127]]

save 502 Norwegian children and adults who were left behind to starve 
when Nazi troops began to fall back.
  Nineteen Norwegian refugees were aboard the Henry Bacon when a severe 
2-day gale separated the ship from the convoy.
  Damaged from this storm and 60 miles away from the support and 
protection of the convoy, the Henry Bacon was attacked by German 
torpedo planes. The ship's crew valiantly fought the attacking planes, 
downing several and exploding a number of torpedoes, but a torpedo 
slipped through and struck the ship on the starboard side. As the ship 
began to sink, only two undamaged lifeboats were safely launched. The 
crew ensured that all the Norwegians were on board the lifeboats. Some 
crew even gave up their places to the Norwegians. According to one crew 
member, ``The men just waited until all 19 refugees found seats. None 
had to be asked or ordered to give up his seat in the lifeboat.''
  British destroyers rescued the survivors several hours later. Sadly, 
Captain Alfred Carini and Chief Engineer Donald Haviland and 27 crew 
members went down with the ship.
  House Concurrent Resolution 411 recognizes the heroic and valiant 
deeds of the officers and crew of the S.S. Henry Bacon. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing the deeds and sacrifices of that 
crew.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me say a few words, if I might. First of all, my thanks, as I 
mentioned earlier, to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte). The 
saga of liberty ships in World War II is particularly a remarkable one. 
Indeed, I was at a function this past weekend in my district in Oswego, 
New York, where they were commemorating an opening of a safe haven 
museum, a museum that commemorated a place, a shelter in that 
community, the only place provided in World War II for Jewish refugees, 
something that that community understandably is very, very proud of.
  We had a number of refugees from that period speak during the 
ceremony, and they mentioned their experience on a liberty ship, a ship 
called the Henry Gibbons, a ship that brought them and nearly a 
thousand souls from Italy. So on that basis alone, this is a very, very 
worthy resolution.
  As my two colleagues who have spoken previously so eloquently 
underscored, the exploits and heroism of those displayed on the Henry 
Bacon were particularly extraordinary, that stood them apart from the 
accomplishments of other extraordinary American and women and liberty 
ships. As is the case with most stories with heroism, the crew members 
of the Henry Bacon were from all walks of life, were ordinary men who 
met extraordinary challenges with incredible courage. And it is I 
think, Mr. Speaker, particularly important to remember the heroes of 
past conflicts because in their stories we find examples of courage and 
sacrifice that perhaps few times in our Nation's history are more 
needed than they are now to sustain us as we go forward in the war 
against terrorism around the globe.
  Perhaps one of the more eloquent and simple statements about the 
brave men aboard the Henry Bacon was spoken by a historian of that era 
whose writing shortly after that event wrote, ``There is no finer 
instance of a merchant ship defense in the history of the North Russian 
convoys.''
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte). 
Most of all, my thanks to the brave men of the Henry Bacon and all that 
they did at that time. Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to support 
this very, very worthy enactment.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Calvert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
411, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  The title of the concurrent resolution was amended so as to read: 
``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.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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