Parents: Ida Selma (Samuelson) and Homer Mills Self
Siblings: Dorothy, Donald, Robert and Bernice (died young)
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USNR
Service Number: 6390357
Award: Purple Heart
Entered the Service from North Dakota
Seaman Second Class ROBERT CLAYTON SELF was part of the 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew that was assigned to the SS James McKay, an American merchant ship, in November 1942. The ship, armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns, was being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland.
On Nov 19th, the SS James McKay sailed from New York with Convoy HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600. The first hit was amidships under the stack and the two others hit behind, causing the ship to immediately stop. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, from the opposite side, causing an explosion that threw water 300 feet into the air. The ship was still afloat, but about 15 minutes later there were two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the U.S. NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Seaman Self's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing, East Coast (WWII) Memorial, Battery Park, New York, NY
Siblings: Dorothy, Donald, Robert and Bernice (died young)
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
USNR
Service Number: 6390357
Award: Purple Heart
Entered the Service from North Dakota
Seaman Second Class ROBERT CLAYTON SELF was part of the 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew that was assigned to the SS James McKay, an American merchant ship, in November 1942. The ship, armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns, was being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland.
On Nov 19th, the SS James McKay sailed from New York with Convoy HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600. The first hit was amidships under the stack and the two others hit behind, causing the ship to immediately stop. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, from the opposite side, causing an explosion that threw water 300 feet into the air. The ship was still afloat, but about 15 minutes later there were two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the U.S. NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Seaman Self's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing, East Coast (WWII) Memorial, Battery Park, New York, NY
Parents: Ida Selma (Samuelson) and Homer Mills Self
Siblings: Dorothy, Donald, Robert and Bernice (died young)
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
USNR
Service Number: 6390357
Award: Purple Heart
Entered the Service from North Dakota
Seaman Second Class ROBERT CLAYTON SELF was part of the 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew that was assigned to the SS James McKay, an American merchant ship, in November 1942. The ship, armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns, was being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland.
On Nov 19th, the SS James McKay sailed from New York with Convoy HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600. The first hit was amidships under the stack and the two others hit behind, causing the ship to immediately stop. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, from the opposite side, causing an explosion that threw water 300 feet into the air. The ship was still afloat, but about 15 minutes later there were two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the U.S. NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Seaman Self's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing, East Coast (WWII) Memorial, Battery Park, New York, NY
Siblings: Dorothy, Donald, Robert and Bernice (died young)
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
USNR
Service Number: 6390357
Award: Purple Heart
Entered the Service from North Dakota
Seaman Second Class ROBERT CLAYTON SELF was part of the 14-man Navy Armed Guard crew that was assigned to the SS James McKay, an American merchant ship, in November 1942. The ship, armed with one 4inch, four 20mm and one .30cal guns, was being readied for a transatlantic trip to deliver almost 12.8 tons of general cargo to Belfast, Northern Ireland.
On Nov 19th, the SS James McKay sailed from New York with Convoy HX-216. A few days later a northwest gale blew up, and on the 25th visibility had been reduced to the point that the convoy began to scatter. The weather became very rough and the cargo began to shift, causing concern that the vessel's stability would be compromised. Due to this concern, the James McKay left convoy and headed for St. Johns, Newfoundland, arriving on Nov 29th. With its cargo safely stowed, the ship left Newfoundland, intending to join up with Convoy HX-217, but there is no evidence that it did.
In the early hours of Dec 8, 1942, about 425 miles south of Iceland, James McKay was hit by three torpedoes fired from German submarine U-600. The first hit was amidships under the stack and the two others hit behind, causing the ship to immediately stop. Distress signals were sent and the crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The ship was hit again, from the opposite side, causing an explosion that threw water 300 feet into the air. The ship was still afloat, but about 15 minutes later there were two more heavy explosions on the ship itself, and then the SS James McKay sank.
There were 48 Merchant Mariners and 14 U.S. Navy Armed Guards on board. None survived.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the U.S. NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Seaman Self's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing, East Coast (WWII) Memorial, Battery Park, New York, NY
Inscription
SELF ROBERT C SEAMAN 2 C USNR NORTH DAKITA
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