World War II Honoree

Alec F. Bak

Branch of Service

U.S. Coast Guard

Hometown

Detroit, Michigan

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS A SEAMAN 1ST CLASS AND SERVED ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP SS JEAN NICOLLET 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. SHE HAD A 41 MAN CREW, 28 ARMED GUARDS, 30 PASSENGERS AND 1 ARMY MEDIC. A JAPANESE SUBMARINE TORPEDOED THE SHIP ON JULY 2, 1944, OFF CEYLON, SRI LANKA AND ALL ABOARD THE SHIP SURVIVED THE EXPLOSION. SOON AFTER THE SHIP WAS ABANDONED, THE JAPANESE SUBMARINE SURFACED AND LOCATED THE BOATS AND RAFTS. THE SURVIVORS WERE ORDERED TO COME ALONGSIDE AND 5 MEN WERE NOT SEEN AND DID NOT BOARD THE SUB. ONCE ONBOARD, THEY WERE FORCED TO SIT ON DECK. THE JAPANESE SAILORS MASSACRED 65 MEN WITH BAYONETS AND RIFLE BUTTS, WHICH HE WAS ONE OF THE MEN MASSACRED. HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL.