Little known Christmas Eve sinking of SS Leopoldville claimed 763 American lives
The SS Leopoldville, a converted 11,500 ton Belgium passenger ship, left the harbor of Southampton on December 24, 1944, with over 2,000 men of the 66th Infantry Division. Just five miles from its destination of Cherbourg, she was torpedoed by the U-486. HMS Brilliant came alongside to rescue as many soldiers as possible. She was only able to take 500 but when she returned, nothing was left. Of the 2,235 souls it was presumed that 515 went down with the ship. Another 248 will die from injuries which include hypothermia.
Many of the men from the 262 Medical Department, on the sinking ship, stayed to care for the wounded instead of being rescued. From the medical group there were only eight survivors, of which three of them needed to be hospitalized. 19 bodies from the medical detachment were never found.
Surviving soldiers of the 66th were ordered not to tell anyone back home about the incident. Their mail was heavily censored and after the war they were told if they mentioned anything their benefits would be cancelled. The documents about the attack remained classified until 1996.
Volunteers with Stories Behind the Stars wrote the stories of all 763 Americans lost in the sinking.
Read some of these stories here:
SGT Richard A. Claybrook
Story by Thomas La Padula, New York
A Princeton University graduate from a well-to-to family who worked as a broker. Married the day before he joined the army. Read full story here.
2LT Donald A. Baker
Story by Judith Skillings, Pennsylvania
Married truck driver from Maine with two children. Read full story here.
PVT George Washington Paden
Story by John Rutherford, Virginia
Joined Army at age 37. Father of two. Gave life jacket to other soldier.
Read full story here.
TSGT Luther M. Lawrence
Story by Anna Cross, Minnesota
Twenty year old who stayed on ship to help those trapped below decks.
Read full story here.
CPT Harold Crain
Story by Jack Chisum, Arizona
West Point graduate. Posthumously awarded Silver Star for saving many men from his company.
Read full story here.
PVT James S. Scribner
Story by John Rutherford, Virginia
Nineteen year old husband and father who stayed on ship to rescue men trapped below decks.
Read full story here.
All of the SS Leopoldville US Army fallen stories can be found on Fold3.
See here.
Download the Find A Grave smartphone app to read these stories at gravesites
Thanks to our
volunteer story writers
John Avis, Project Director
​
​
John Avis, New Jersey
Thomas Bowers, Virginia
Jack Chisum, Arizona
Anna Cross, Minnesota
Molly Green
Mary Hanjes, Georgia
John Haskins, Texas
Tom La Padula, New York
Chris Moyer, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Shaw, South Carolina
Judith Skillings, Pennsylvania
John Rutherford, Virginia