Hell & Torpedoes

On the sunny Hudson, outside the battered, noisy hiring hall of the National Maritime Union, rusty freighters rode at anchor waiting for convoy assignments. Inside the hall 200 seamen lounged, smoking, talking and waiting for new jobs taking cargoes through submarine-infested waters to the world's fighting fronts. Business went on as usual, unaffected by the fact that the U.S. Navy had just announced its first merchant-marine casualty list: 2.301 up to Aug. 1. Of these, 410 were known to be dead. The rest were missing, a few perhaps alive in remote spots, most probably lost at sea.

Unofficial estimates indicated that merchant losses were running much heavier proportionally than the Navy's.*

Buried in the list of Larsens, Garcias, Joneses and Oppenheimers who had given their lives to keep cargo ships moving was many a tale of heroism:

> Paddy Flynn's son Frank was killed in Libya. His son Jack died in the torpedoing of a U.S. munitions ship. Paddy gave up a safe N.M.U. office job, shipped on a tanker to even his family score. He and his tanker went down in flames.

> Radio Operator Frank Talley could have left his ship in time. He chose to stick long enough to send an S O S, giving the ship's position. As a result 25 others were rescued; Talley went down with the ship.

Standing at the Union dispatcher's window after the casualty announcement was beefy Scott Huddleston. 220 lb., looking for a new berth as junior engineer after one tanker was torpedoed from under him.

"Torpedoes? They're the least of my worries," said he. "If one comes with your name on it, you'll get it. If it doesn't, you won't."

Said granite-jawed Joe Curran, president of the N.M.U.: "This casualty list demonstrates the loyalty, courage and unselfish sacrifice [of our seamen] far better than any human voice can. Our victory will be their vengeance. We will deliver the goods through hell and torpedoes."

-Navy casualties to Oct. 3 were 3,698 dead, 7,268 missing.

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