World War II Honoree

George William Duffy

Branch of Service

U.S. Merchant Marine

Hometown

Newburyport, Massachusetts

Honored By

Capt. George W. Duffy

SERVED ON THE MOTOR SHIP AMERICAN LEADER. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1942, SHIP WAS ATTACKED AND DESTROYED BY THE GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER MICHEL. OF THE AMERICAN LEADER'S CREW OF 58, 47 SURVIVED THE SINKING AND WERE TAKEN PRISONER BY THE MICHEL. AFTER 28 DAYS, TRANSFERRED TO THE GERMAN REPLENISHMENT VESSEL UCKERMARK. FOUR WEEKS LATER, THE UCKERMARK ARRIVED AT BATAVIA, JAVA WHICH HAD BEEN OCCUPIED SINCE EARLY MARCH BY THE JAPANESE. SPENT THE NEXT 34 MONTHS IN 10 JAPANESE LABOR CAMPS ON JAVA, IN SINGAPORE AND ON SUMATRA. TOTAL PRISON CAMP TIME AMOUNTED TO 1,119 DAYS.