Ed Bamberg
Seaman

n one issue of our Project newsletter, The Ugly Duckling, the editor made a request for memories of wartime experiences. This is one of the responses....

During the years 1944-45 I was attending Metropolitan Vocational H.S. studying merchant marine subjects in the engine room. Our school ship at that time was the old ferry boat, "BROOKLYN".

One day in May '45 , I was playing hookey and fishing off the pier at Dykman St. in northern Manhattan. A patrol boat , the "SAN LUIS" an old navy tug, stopped to take on water at the dock. I was given a tour of the ship by one of the engine room crew. As I was always interested in the sea and foreign places, I wanted to ship out. I was sixteen years old at the time. I inquired about openings and was told there was one as fireman in the engine room.

The next day, I went to the office of the Supervisor of NY Harbor, stretched the truth a bit and said I was seventeen. I got the fireman's job. Our duties were to guide dredges and mud scows and make sure that these vessels unloaded outside the three mile limit of NY harbor. For these labors, I was paid the sum of $1,645.00 per annum , less $365.00 room and board. We were on patrol for seven days straight, with three days in harbor. I sailed on this vessel until August of that year.

One day, we docked in Rose Bank, S.I. at the Merritt & Scott Salvage Company dock. While there, I struck up a conversation with a fireman on the salvage ship "RESOLUTE" and learned there was an opening for fireman aboard her. The pay was $198.00 per month. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out I'd make more money on the "Resolute". I then joined her and we sailed coastwise on the Atlantic seaboard, salvaging various vessels. These included a Liberty ship off the sand bar at Fire Island, NY. We did other salvage work out of Norfolk, Va.

In March '46 I decided I wanted to see more of the world. so I shipped out with the Army Transport Service. My first ship was the hospital ship, "CHARLES A. STAFFORD", formerly the "SIBONEY". We carried wounded and sick German POWs to Bremenhaven, Germany. We brought back American G.I.s, who were sick and wounded. On one trip, we were approaching the English Channel when we narrowly missed hitting a stray floating mine. Close call! The lookout saw it and saved our bacon!

A couple of trips more and I signed on the "GENERAL HARRY TAYLOR", running between NY and Bremenhaven carrying U.S. servicemen. This lasted a few trips, and I signed on the ATS Liberty ship, "JOSEPH V. CONNOLLY". On our first trip we carried general cargo to Bremenhaven and returned to Belfast, ME. for a full cargo of Maine potatoes. We then returned to Bremenhaven. We spent Christmas at sea, going through the English Channel. This was winter, 46-47 one of the coldest on record! We became ice bound in Bremenhaven harbor and remained so until February '47. Needless to say, I met some pretty and grateful Frauleins. With my limited German, a navy raincoat, and a German field cap, I wandered mit meine fraulein between Bremenhaven and Bremen and had a ball. I was a very sophisticated eighteen year old!

Our next trip, leaving Germany we carried dead G.I.s. We stopped at Rejyevik , Iceland and picked up 180 coffins containing U.S. Merchant Seaman. These men had died in the convoys of Murmansk. From Iceland, we arrived at Argencia,Newfoundlad where we offloaded some of the coffins. During the unloading, a sling broke and smashed coffins on the dock and in the water. Death held no dignity for our boys. We returned to NY and unloaded our sad cargo.

Edward Bamberger (to be continued)