III
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 411
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
OCTOBER 8, 2002
Received
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing the exploits of the officers and crew of the
S.S. HENRY BACON, a United States Liberty ship
that was sunk on February 23, 1945.
Whereas during World War II the United States Liberty ship
S.S. HENRY BACON was assigned the task of con-
veying war materials and supplies to the beleaguered
Russian nation via the dangerous Arctic Ocean passage
(referred to as the Murmansk Run) from Iceland or Scot-
land to Murmansk in northern Russia, and faithfully ful-
filled her mission;
HCON 411 RDS
Whereas in early 1945 the British navy, having rescued a
number of Norwegian civilians from occupied Norway
and transported them to Murmansk, distributed them
among the HENRY BACON and certain other merchant
ships for transportation to England, with 19 of such ref-
ugees being assigned to the HENRY BACON;
Whereas a convoy carrying those refugees, designated as Con-
voy RA 64 and consisting of 35 ships and naval escorts,
departed Murmansk on February 17, 1945, amid one of
the worst storms ever registered in the Arctic Ocean;
Whereas the HENRY BACON, with a full crew and refugees
on board, sailing as part of that convoy, suffered damage
from the force of the storms and from internal mechan-
ical problems;
Whereas the HENRY BACON, while suffering from a loss of
steering capacity, lost her place in the convoy and became
a stray, unable to communicate with the convoy and re-
quired to maintain radio silence;
Whereas the HENRY BACON was left to her own devices
and was in such dire straits that engine room workers
used a sledgehammer and wedge to physically turn the
ship;
Whereas on February 23, 1945, the HENRY BACON, alone
in the freezing sea some 50 miles from the convoy, came
under attack by 23 Junker JU–88 torpedo bombers of
the German Luftwaffe;
Whereas armed with only the small but formidable anti-
aircraft battery with which such merchantmen were
equipped, the United States Navy Armed Guard on board
the ship and the ship’s merchant sailors fought gallantly
against the oncoming torpedo bombers;
HCON 411 RDS
Whereas although mortally wounded after a German pilot
succeeded in scoring a hit with a torpedo to the ship, the
HENRY BACON fought back, shooting down a con-
firmed three enemy planes and crippling at least two
more;
Whereas when the HENRY BACON began to sink, her cap-
tain ensured that all 19 Norwegian refugees on board re-
ceived a place in one of the undamaged lifeboats;
Whereas when the lifeboat supply was exhausted, crewmen
made rough rafts from the railroad ties that had been
used to secure locomotives delivered to Russia;
Whereas the HENRY BACON went down with 28 members
of her crew, including Captain Alfred Carini, Chief Engi-
neer Donald Haviland, Bosun Holcomb Lammon Jr., and
the commanding officer of the United States Navy Armed
Guard unit aboard, Lieutenant (junior grade) John
Sippola, but in its sinking kept the German planes from
looking further and locating the main body of the convoy;
Whereas the 19 Norwegian refugees, as well as the other sur-
vivors, were rescued by British destroyers and those refu-
gees were ultimately returned to Norway; and
Whereas the actions of the officers and crew of the HENRY
BACON were in the finest tradition of the United States
Merchant Marine and the United States Navy and have
been recognized by the people of Norway and Russia but,
until now, have not been acknowledged by their own Na-
tion: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress recognizes the valiant
deeds of the officers and crew of the S.S. HENRY
HCON 411 RDS
BACON, a World War II United States Liberty ship that
was sunk by German aircraft on February 23, 1945.
Passed the House of Representatives October 7,
2002.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.