World War II Honoree

George K. Hess

Branch of Service

U.S. Merchant Marine

Hometown

Berkley, California

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE SERVED ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP SS JEAN NICOLETT AVS-6 WHICH WAS STEAMING ALONE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN LOADED WITH A CARGO OF WAR MATERIALS FOR THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATRE OF WAR. A JAPANESE SUB TORPEDOED THE SHIP ON JULY 2, 1944, OFF CEYLON, SRI LANKA AND ALL ABOARD THE SHIP SURVIVED THE EXPLOSION. THE JAPANESE SUB LOCATED THE BOATS AND RAFTS AND THE SURVIVORS WERE THREATENED WITH MACHINE GUNS AND ORDERED TO COME ALONGSIDE. ONCE ONBOARD THE JAPANESE SUB 95 AMERICAN MEN WERE FORCED TO SIT ON DECK. THE JAPANESE SAILORS MASSACRED 65 MEN WITH BAYONETS AND RIFLE BUTTS. THERE WERE 30 SURVIVORS ON DECK WHEN A BRITISH PLANE APPEARED. THE SUB CRASH-DIVED, WASHING THE SURVIVORS INTO THE SEA. HE WAS ONE OF 23 MEN WHO SURVIVED THE MASSACRE AND WAS RESCUED. HE WAS AWARDED THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL.