All lettering shown in " BRIGHT BLUE " on this website are links

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Thursday,
" January 16, 2025 "
( Originally created in June, 2017 )

Sinking on August 30, 1942 the

" S.S. West Lashaway "

lost " 38 " men !

         The steam tanker " S.S. West Lashaway " was built in 1918 by the Skinner & Eddy Corporation, Seattle, Washington
for the American-West African Line Inc., New York City, New York.

         On August 30, 1942 the " West Lashaway " was en route from the Port of Matadi, Africa with a final destination of the Port of Spain, Trinidad with a cargo of 7670 tons of tin, copper, cocoa beans and palm oil and a crew of " 56 " that included " 10 " officers, " 28 " Merchant crewmen, " 9 " Navy armed guards, and " 9 " passengers.

         The " West Lashaway " was hit by two torpedos fired by " German Submarine U-66 " about 375 miles east of Trinidad.   The first torpedo struck amidship forward of the fire room, followed by the second torpedo nearby.

         The explosions blew off the #3 hatch, destroyed the engine room and the bridge area and flooded the ship so rapidly that she rolled to starboard and sank within one minute.   Everyone onboard jumped overboard and swam to rafts that floated free because they had no time to launch the lifeboats.

         " 14 " of those onboard died either in the explosions or before they could make it to a raft.   The other " 42 " survivors were on four rafts.   The rafts stayed together until heavey weather forced them to drift apart.   On one raft, that included " 19 " survivors, The ship's Master, " Benjamin Bogdan ", and one of the armed guards died and were both " buried at sea ".

         On September 13, 1942 that raft was found with " 1 " officer, " 10 " merchant marines," 1 " armed guard and five passengers that included " 1 woman and 4 children " and they were rescued.

         On September 25, 1942 another raft with " 2 " merchant mariners was found however only " 1 " of them was alive.   No other survivors were ever found.

         The " 9 " passengers on the ship included a British Customs Official with the last name of Pearson and two missionary families.   One of the missionary familes were the " Shaw family which included Harvey Shaw, his wife Vera, and their three children Richard, Georgia, and Carol Shaw ".

" Harvey Shaw ",
his wife
" Vera ",
and their
" 10 year old daughter Georgia "
all three perished in the sinking.

         The second missionary family included a widow by the name of " Ethel G. Roffe Bell " and her two children Robert William Bell and " Mary Ruth (Bell) Whitbeck.

         All three of the Bells survived the sinking and Robert ended up writing a book titled " In Peril On The Sea  -  A Personal Remembrance " about his experiences during the sinking and their eventual rescue.

The ship Master / Captain of the
" S.S. West Lashaway "
was :
" Benjamin Bogdan "
Of New York who was lost in this sinking !

The following below list was created in the memory of those who
" Gave Their All "
on the
" S.S. West Lashaway ! "

               There are personal " Online Memorials " for each of these honored men that were created for them by using the " Find A Grave Website ".   On the " Majority " of the online memorials you will see a small biography for each soldier which may include:

Parent's, Grandparent's & Sibling's Names,
where & when they were born,
where they grew up,
when & where they enlisted in the service,
the military unit they were part of,
" AND "
where and how they actually died during the war !

MM     =  Awarded the " Mariner's Medal " ~ ( Awarded to the Merchant Marines for being wounded, Missing or Killed In Action ) MM *  =  Awarded the " Combat Bar " ~ ( Awarded to those who are under combat conditions ) MM **  =  Awarded the " Combat Star " ~ ( Awarded to those who are forced to abandon ship when attacked or damaged ) PH     =  Awarded the "Purple Heart" ~ ( Awarded to soldiers & sailors for being Wounded and/or Killed in action ) Other Medals  =  Such as Good Conduct Medals, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medals, American Defense Service Medals, etc. " Are Not " included in this listing.   =  Picture of person shown on online memorial   =  Picture of tombstone shown on online memorial Cenotaph  =  A memorial stone only  ~  " OR "  ~  Remains not recovered  ~  " OR "  ~  Interred somewhere unknown. ( www.usmm.org/medals.html )         ( Those letters shown in " Bright Blue " below " currently " have Soldier's, Mariner's & Passenger's listed ! ) ( Those letters shown in " Red " below " currently " have no Soldier's, Mariner's & Passenger's listed for this ship ! ) [ A ] - [ B ] - [ C ] - [ D ] - [ E ] - [ F ] - [ G ] - [ H ] - [ I ] [ J ] - [ K ] - [ L ] - [ M ] - [ N ] - [ O ] - [ P ] - [ Q ] - [ R ] [ S ] - [ T ] - [ U ] - [ V ] - [ W ] - [ X ] - [ Y ] - [ Z ]         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Acord,  Robert Lee PH South Atlantic ~ " Family Link Included " Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy West Virginia ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Adams,  Andrew Clyde PH South Atlantic ~ " Family Link Included " Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy South Carolina ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Alsbrooks,  Ansley Legare PH South Atlantic ~    " Family Link Included " Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy South Carolina ~ ~ ~ " Died " Of Wounds Florence National Cemetery ~ ~ ~ Florence, South Carolina ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ September 9, 1942   Anderson,  Viggo S. V. MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Second Mate " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Arangote,  Eugenio MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Able Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Arnold,  William Madison PH South Atlantic ~ Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy Florida ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Ashley,  Ernest Shreve MM ** South Atlantic ~ " Family Link Included " Junior Third Mate " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Bjorkmann,  Harald Magnus MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Second Engineer " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine Norway ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Bogdan,  Benjamin MM ** South Atlantic ~ Master " Captain " " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Bousman,  Erwin Adam MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A " Family Link Included " Able Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine Pennsylvania ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Britt,  William Louis PH South Atlantic ~ Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy North Carolina ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Bulloch,  Guy Rex, Jr. PH South Atlantic ~ Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy Georgia ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Byrnes,  Michael Joseph, Jr. MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A " Family Link Included " Junior Third Mate " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Caddigan,  Thomas Ernest PH South Atlantic ~ Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy Maine ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942 Last Names starting with ~ " D " and " E "         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Fernandez,  Jacinto MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Wiper " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine Spain ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942 Last Names starting with ~ " G " ~ " H " and " I "         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Jelle,  Lars P. S. MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Carpenter " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine Washington ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Jimenez,  Roberto Fablia MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Oiler " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Johnson,  Axel Anton MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Third Assistant Engineer " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Kaplan,  Sam MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Messman " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Koonz,  Earl Louis PH South Atlantic ~ " Family Link Included " Seaman 2nd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy Massachusetts ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Larson,  Knut Eric MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Oiler " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New Jersey ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Liskay,  Andrew Charles MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Ordinary Seaman " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine Pennsylvania ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Max,  John Wallace MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Third Assistant Engineer " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   McCredie,  Elmer Lee MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A " Family Link Included " Purser " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine Florida ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Munn,  Dalton Leslie PH South Atlantic ~ " Family Link Included " Gunner's Mate 3rd Class ~ ~ ~ Armed Guard U.S. Navy South Carolina ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action East Coast Memorial ~ ~ ~ Manhattan, New York ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942 Last Names starting with ~ " N " ~ " O " ~ " P " and " Q "         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Rega,  Victor Michael MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Fireman / Watertender " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Schlager,  Emanuel MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Able Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Shaw,  Georgia Eloise South Atlantic ~ N/A ~ ~ ~ " 10 Year Old Daughter " of Harvey & Vera ! " Passenger " " Civilian " ~ ~ ~ Missionary Family Nebraska ~ ~ ~ " Lost " At Sea Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Shaw,  Harvey Vernon South Atlantic ~ N/A ~ ~ ~ Husband of Vera & Dad of Georgia ! " Passenger " " Civilian " ~ ~ ~ Missionary Family Nebraska ~ ~ ~ " Lost " At Sea Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Shaw,  Vera Eloise Edwards South Atlantic ~ N/A ~ ~ ~ Wife of Harvey & Mom of Georgia ! " Passenger " " Civilian " ~ ~ ~ Missionary Family Nebraska ~ ~ ~ " Lost " At Sea Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Stone,  Frank Samuel MM ** South Atlantic ~ " Family Link Included " Chief Engineer " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New Mexico ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Monte Vista Cemetery ~ ~ ~ Alamogordo, New Mexico ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Taylor,  Charles Walter MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Ordinary Seaman " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Thomas,  Gerald Samuel MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Fireman / Watertender " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942 Last Names starting with ~ " U "         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Van Cott,  Harold Scales MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Radio Officer " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Vollmuth,  Herman MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Able Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942         Last Name ~ First Name ~ Middle Name Awards Place Of Passing ~ Photos Notes ( If Available ) Military Rank Branch of Service Place Of Residence ~ ~ ~ Cause Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial For Online Memorial ~ ~ ~ Click Below   Walker,  Alton Byron MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Chief Mate " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine District Of Columbia ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942   Wiltshire,  Dudley Sinclair MM ** South Atlantic ~ N/A Steward " Ship's Crew " ~ ~ ~ Merchant Marine New York ~ ~ ~ " Missing " In Action Currently None Found ~ ~ ~ Cenotaph ~ ~ ~ Last Bell : ~ ~ ~ August 30, 1942 Last Names starting with ~ " X " ~ " Y " and " Z " Email any questions or comments to: Russ Pickett ( russpickde@comcast.net )