Geneaology

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Off and on I research the family tree. The recent news of a missing WWII submarine being found brought to mind my dad's father. Dad didn't talk much about him; Mom indicated that my paternal grandfather was a tough man. I rather suspect he was a bit of a wanderer, unable to find his place in life.

Frank Carney Stephenson enlisted in WWI, met my grandmother in England and brought her back as a bride. The depression was not kind as they eeked out an existence onn a farm in Ohio. When WWII came along, my grandfather tried to enlist again and when he wasn't accepted, enlisted in the Merchant Marines and worked as a fireman. On June 5, 1944, he was aboard the SS PILLORY, a coal burning Panamanian flag freighter, when it was torpedoed by the German U-539 while en route from San Juan P.R. to Guayanilla, P.R. Grandad was among the men immediately killed in the explosions. As the injured were taken to Puerto Rico, I've run a search off the cemetery where American soldiers are buried to no avail. I'm assuming that Grandad's body either was never recovered or he was buried at sea. During my research, I did find this nice online tribute to him:

World War II Honoree

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/search/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=968023&popcount=1&tcount=1

:) Carol