Merchant Marines WWII: Murmansk Run.

[Will Carry]

I hope you guys don't mind, but these old stories need to be passed down.

I used to work with this old Tennessee gentleman who was in the Merchant Marines in WWII. He was a gunner aboard an old transport ship trying to get supplies to the hard pressed Russians. He used to sail the "Murmansk Run", probably the most dangerous job an allied sailor could have in WWII. He used to tell us stories you wouldn't believe. This one story sticks out in my mind. Just a crafty young country boy who may have saved some lives that night.

This is how he told it...to my best recollection:

"I was on watch one night on a Murmanks Run. I had to stand in a little steel tub at the very front of the bow and look out for German U-boats. It was so dark I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. The wind was churning up the sea so you couldn't hear yourself think. After about a hour I called the bridge and said "there's a U-boat out there!". Well the ship sounded general quarters, all the ships in the convoy went on full alert. The captain came out to my post and said. "Did you see a Submarine?!" I said "Naw Sir." he said, "Did you hear anything?" "Naw Sir!" I said. "Then why the hell did we sound general quarters?" I said "Do you smell that captain? Them's diesel fumes. All the ships in our convoy are coal burners."

Only a German U-boat would be putting out diesel fumes.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Will Carry

[Defender]

Good story. Ive read some of the things about the loss rate on these convoys...very high.

[Ebow1]

Talk about critical thinking skills. That's a heck of a story.

[Guest GunTroll]

Nice!

Side note. I just met a neighbor the other day who is a WWII vet. He told me he was in the battle of the bulge. We were short on time but I need to ask him about it sometime.

I find it an honor to talk to the older vets. Well any vet to be honest but I love to here WWII stories cause those old timers are dying quick.

[Ebow1]

My great uncle served under General Patton, and was present at The Battle of the Bulge as well.

[Guest Halfpint]

Possibly my favorite customer is a WW2 Navy vet, who served in Korea and was a Vietnam-era sailor as well. He's 87 years old and routinely calls me "jarhead" and his "little buddy" -- he's my height and all of maybe 120 pounds . . . I don't have many stories at all to share with him, but I love hearing the ones he tells me and I look forward every day to about 11:30 when he stops in to hang out for a bit.

It will be a sad day when MEN like him are no longer here with us to share their wisdom and experiences.

[peejman]

I had 3 great uncles (brothers) who were WWII vets, all of them have passed away. The youngest was a belly gunner in a B-17 based in England. He didn't talk about it much but I do remember a story about being stuck in the turret ala "Memphis Belle". The middle brother was in the signal corps and travelled all over Europe. He'd talk your ear off, I loved listening to his stories. Nothing really exciting but lots of people and places. I'm not 100% sure what the oldest did, I think he was a staff officer. He also didn't talk about it much.

[Guest mustangdave]

The Murmansk Run...that was my Grandpa Dutch's area of operations too...cold cold cold...was all he would say about it. He and Grandma Dorothy passed on in 2005. Miss them both dearly