Delaware Co. PAGenWeb Archives Obituaries - Seaman Bertram McDOWELL, 1942

Contributed to PAGenWeb Archives by Nancy Annie Odegard - Nurse73NAO@aol.com

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McDOWELL, Seaman Bertram; 1942
 
 
                             COUNTY YOUTH DIES A HERO
                                   18 May 1942
 
      BERTRAM McDOWELL, 20, son of Mrs. HATTIE McDOWELL, of Pennell
  road, Lima, who succumbed to burns in a New Orleans, La., hospital, gave
  his life to save three shipmate.
 
      "Lefty," as he was more familiarly known, was a MERCHANT MARINE
  seaman, and a member of the crew of an oil tanker when it was torpedoed on
  May 12 in the Gulf of Mexico. He was on deck at the time and when the ship
  began to sink he gave his lifebelt to another sailor and hurried below for
  another. Before reaching the lockers, McDOWELL discovered two other
  seamen trapped by flames and helped them through fire and smoke to the
  heroic young man who had been seriously burned, being one of the last to
  leave the ship. He was placed in a lifeboat and upon arrival of the survivors at
  New Orleans, was removed to a hospital. He died on May 18.
 
      Prior to entering the Merchant Marine service, young McDOWELL attended
  Media High School.
 
 
Note: Delaware Co. PAGenWeb Archives - Military - "Distinguished Service Medal"
 
 
 
 
Source: Media - Upper Providence Library
            1 East Front Street, Media, Pennsylvania  19063
            Delaware County
            Telephone 610 - 566 - 1918
            Media Borough Obituaries