George Endicott

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Born in Crossville, IL the son of Martin V. & Nella Gibbs Endicott, he served in the U.S. Merchant Marine in WWII (1943-1944), aboard the S.S. Simon-Benson.  Shortly after the war was over, Gerald and his wife, Gail, bought 50 acres of land in the Santa Clara area of Eugene, Oregon.  They planted peaches, apples and cherries and ran their orchard for 25 years.  Gerald is buried in Resthaven Cemetery in Eugene, Oregon.

 

          The United States Merchant Marine is the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that transports goods and services around the world.  In peacetime, the Merchant Marine transports cargo and passengers.  In war time, it becomes an auxiliary of the U.S. Navy, and is asked to deliver troops and supplies for the military.

 

          The US Merchant Marine was a critical contributor to victory in World War II, carrying the bulk of all material sent overseas, and many of the men.  It also had the highest casualty rate of any U.S. Service in the war,  losing 9,521 men killed out of 243,000 who served, or a casualty rate of 3.9%.

 

          The S.S. Simon Benson was a Steel Hull Liberty Ship built in June 1943 by the Oregon Ship Building Corporation for the U.S. War Shipping Administration.  After service in WWII, she was eventually scrapped in Japan in 1969. 

 

          Gerald kept a journal of his service aboard the Simon Benson and here are excerpts as transcribed by his daughter, Gail Shulmire in 1998:

 

          Journal by Gerald Martin Endicott Written aboard the SS Simon-Benson July 1943 to February 1944

 

Dec 6, 1943

Leaving Townsville [Queensland,Australia] 6 P.M. Bound for Buna 

[Japanese defensive position captured by U.S. and Australian troops June 1943 - ed] . The boys think this will be a hot trip. 

Dec 7

7 ships and six escorts with us. This is the second ann. of the war Dec. 7.

Dec 8

Plowing along at about 8 knots. Saw some sharks. Quiet. 

Dec 9

Four ships pulled out of convoy for Port Moresby (New Guinea – ed). 

Dec 10

China Straits.  Stopped in Milne Bay (Australian base on eastern tip of New Guinea – ed) for orders - on to Buna. 

Dec 11

Arrived at Buna 10 A.M. Alert at 1:30 P.M. Hell of a place. 

Dec 12

Starting to unload cargo.  Lots of invasion barges here. 

Dec 13

Unloading cargo.  Lots of planes here and lots of Aussies. 

Dec 14

40 Bombers took off here at 8:15 A.M. to bomb Gasmata, New Britain Island north of us. 

Dec 15

Lots of planes flying over the ships. Thunderbolts and Lightning fighters. 

Dec 16

Very quiet today.  Hear that our force landed on New Britain Is. 

Dec 17

Went ashore today.  Mud (unreadable) and stink.  Beach littered with Jap landing barges.  There is quite a coconut grove here with all the tops of the trees blown off by naval gun fire.  Nothing left but the bare trunks.  Visited the American Cemetery, six hundred buried there-saw where one Jap sniper killed seventy Americans before they got him.  The Aussies collect Jap gold teeth. 

Dec Wed 22

Leaving Buna at 11:20 A.M. Weather very hot, sea calm. 

Thur 23

At sea. Very hot. On our way to Townsville and home I hope. 

Frid 24

Cooler. Sea very calm. Nothing New. 

Sat 25

Christmas and very drab.  Crew got drunk.  Nothing for me.  Six hours out of Townsville we are ordered by radio to turn about and go to Cairns, a small town north of Townsville.

Additional source:     http://www.angelfire.com/ky/Endicott/pageJ.html , has since been removed from the web.