E

arly on in my Ham radio career, I had known about W2ZXM/MM - Captain Henrik Kurt
Carlsen *1914-1989* A hero and sea captain who was also a ham, he was one of us! His
daughters became hams, Sonia KN2IVT and Karen KN2JAT respectively.

It was the Hamburg to NY run leaving in dense fog December 1951 - A Christmas trip loaded with
pig iron, coffee & 156 thousand in bank notes and 5,000 lb of English treasury notes, 8 mail sacks.
Some have said, VW cars and some antiques were also in the cargo holds. Having ten passengers
aboard and crew, headed for the States. The Flying Enterprise (KWFZ) 6,711 tons - sailed into
terrible weather in the English Channel and took a heavy wave, leaning to port, she never recoveredas the cargo shifted and Enterprise was doomed. Their position off England tip in the channel andsending out an SOS.
Captain Harry Grattidge bringing
the 81,000 ton Queen Mary into
Southampton 72 hours late on 29
December 1951 - described theseas “terrific” said, he had theworst double crossing for morethan 30 years.
Originally born in Denmark,Carlsen a seaman since the age of14 also became an American
Citizen and did war duties for theWar Shipping Service.
His home of record was inWoodbridge, N.J. Family
consisted of wife Agnes and twodaughters. Both daughters became
hams, I believe it was Sonja
Carlsen Fedak KN2IVT. Yet there
is a record of Karen Carlsen
Mueller being KN2JAT and later on NØIDD born in 45 with an expired ticket. The maritime ordeal
was over with 10 January 1952 with the world watching on. Capt Carlsen was the last one off thestack of the Flying Enterprise. That spring Carlsen appeared a joint session of Congress and received
from President Harry Truman a special congressional award, the Distinguished Service Medal.
After Carlsen’s death in 1989 Woodbridge dedicated a park in his name - also a large portrait of thecaptain, painted by friend Mary Murvin, hangs in Woodbridge High School. Carlsen did not cashin on his own personal experience, the British Press dubbed Kurt as “Captain Stay Put” - In
Falmouth, he received a hero’s welcome but said, “I only did my duty.” The long time ham operator
W2ZXM turned down product endorsement offers that reached him via his sort wave radio, also
turned down the million dollar offer from Hal Wallis to authorize a film about his ordeal, a film tobe titled “The Flying Enterprise” with Burt Lancaster playing Carlsen. He even refused to let his
hometown of Woodbridge change the name of the street he lived on from Alwat to Carlsen Street.
In New York, at a luncheon in Carlsen’s honor, he addressed the group “Frankly, I don’t think I’m
entitled to this, I failed to bring my ship into port.” Continued Page twoHe did the only thing he could do said Carlsen’s daughter Sonia Fedak, “His legacy was our standard
to live by - a mark of excellence, a shining example, all wrapped up in humility.” I had not seen
before a Lloyds of London Award bestowed on Captain Kurt shortly after the incident. “Lloyd’s
famed Bell Tolls for Captain Carlsen” and reported that the skipper had received a silver medal for“Meritorious Service at sea” the Lloyd’s which insures maritime cargo. The Danish born Captainagain said “I have not done anything that deserves recognition.” I tried as a seaman to prove what
a seaman is expected to do, Carlsen said.
Agnes Carlsen, Kurt’s wife also wrote about the family’s experience in a 1958 section of Guideposts,
a Norman Vincent Peale publication. Titled “A Storm-lashed Prayer” - She wrote that she felt abond with her husband when he was at sea through a Danish prayer -“Enighed gor staerk” or “InUnity there is strength!” Kurt chatted to us on the key and mike, used ham radio a great deal before
and after the incident and was awarded the Flying Enterprise II to sail many more years. Partiallyscripted by Elias Holtzman, QSL from W8SU files - Kurt’s memory will be around a long time tocome I would imagine. May it be so.

Radio Officer W1TGE-mm of Flying
Enterprise II in 1962 postmarked
Salem Mass.

Captain Kurt’s familiar
QSL card which he mailed
thousands to the deserving.
W8SU 2009 added 2012