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.
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