The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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227766 Sea.1C Thomas Vincent "Murph" Murphy US Navy SS American Manufacturer My father Thomas Vincent Murphy served on the SS American Manufacturer during 1943. After leaving India the ship pulled into Perth, Australia. Dad was on deck teaching the guys how to clean the smaller 20 mm guns. He said they would have to learn how to take the guns apart and put them back together again whilst blindfolded. As he was showing the men how to do this he saw a Japanese submarine trying to surface. Dad called out to the bridge "Submarine on the starboard quarter". The ship turned so the Japanese sub would be to the stern, and he quickly got into the big gun and fired one shell at the sub. The sub tried to surface and so he fired one more shell which sank what looked like a two-man Japanese sub. The sinking of the sub was reported and credited to the SS American Manufacturer in the local newspapers. Following this incident Lieutenant Collins gave Dad a book to study on becoming a Gunner's Mate. When the ship got back to Brooklyn, Dad took the exam and was promoted to that position. His best friend from childhood, Paul (Zack) Zachular also served on this ship with him. Mary Ellen Burke Add to this record.  Related Content: SS American Manufacture Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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