February 18, 1942
Two ships battered and broken on the rugged cliffs of Newfoundland, 203 sailors dead, 186 rescued by the people of two small coastal towns, risking their own lives in the brutal winter storm, to save the American sailors. While the men pulled the sailors from the angry seas, and up 300 foot cliffs, the women worked to bring them back from the effects of suffocating crude oil, and frost bite. By the end of 24 hours of grueling rescue effort, at 2 remote locations, nearly every rescuer’s family had a sailor in the parlor.
It’s a story of disaster and heroism, a steep loss of life, of navigation errors and an investigation that never got it right.
Shooting began on this project in 1988, at the first reunion of rescuers and survivors in Lawn & St. Lawrence. It has continued over many years since, with sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren, for whom keeping the story alive is part of their legacy. This remains a little-known story of one of the worst non-combat disasters in the history of the Navy, and how the human heart can illuminate our humanity, even in our darkest hours.
As the anniversary of the sinking of the USS Truxton, we recognize the Ashland connection as Alan Johnson of Ashland went down on the ship and is credited as being the first Ashland casualty of WWII.
The films production team will be joining online for and Q&A discussion.
This program is sponsored by the Chequamegon Veterans Center. Evening staffing provided by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
