October 09, 2019, 06:40 PM
C L WilkinsMy dad, both brothers and I served in the US Navy.
My grandmother's brother was in the merchants. Interesting fellow. This is one of his logs...
A 1943 Log kept by Capt. H. Lee Perkins
(Uncle Homer was 40 years old at this time.)
Jan.1
Happy New Year Jeannie. At anchor today in Lough Foyle. Had a scare last night. Sleeping peacefully when Empire Dolphin, Empire Control and several corvettes and destroyers let go with their sirens. Grabbed clothes and rushed to machine guns. Thought sure it was an air raid. Only old year going out, new year coming in. Needed sleep so bad didn’t wait for last of whistles.
Took a bath 3 times today. Wet and raining. Understand it nearly always rains here. Hope we get out soon.
Jan. 2
Had to go to Londonderry today and make arrangements for new life boat to replace on destroyed December 25. Met our agent, Mr. A. Riely. Very nice man. Invited me to his home for dinner, enjoyed their company very much. Can’t say as well for the dinner because it was “mutton chops”.
Mr. Riely made arrangements for me to spend the night in the City Hotel. Londonderry’s best, which is lousy.
Heard complete story of the siege of Londonderry. Mrs. Riely very curious about rationing in the U.S. Fine woman.
Send Jeannie wire.
Jan. 3
Returning to ship this A.M. after spending very unpleasant night at City Hotel. Never so cold in all my life. Rooms have two beds, took cover off both beds, still froze to death. Got up early. Breakfast is always served in bed in Irish Hotels. Met Mr. Riely. Had one drink of very rotten Irish whiskey. Glad to get back to ship in my warm room. Won’t go ashore again. Cold, wet and raining today. Expect to discharge tomorrow.
Jan. 4
Just started to discharge today. Fueled one corvette. Still waiting on Duty Boats. Many corvettes and destroyers in today. Hope I don’t have to fuel them all. Be glad when we get out. Still raining.
Jan. 5
Discharged part cargo into Empire Dolphin. Could only take half of it. Empire Control next. We are lying just ahead of General Montgomery, Commander of the British forces in Africa. Very beautiful place. Town of Moville, which is in Irish Free State.
Hills beautiful from here. Grass always green.
Getting some good rest at night now. Occasionally poker game but always in bed by 10 p.m. Don’t get up until 8 a.m.
Jan. 6
Fueled British destroyer today. She just came in from Africa. Looked pretty well weather beaten. Rough looking crew.
Many planes (allied) over head today. Looks like may be trouble. Not too much worried.
Received word to expect Empire Control tomorrow. Expect to sail about the 8th. Can’t get out too soon for me.
Jan. 7
Fueled Empire Control today. Received orders to hold 600 tons on board to refuel on way home. Thought I would get out of that job. Don’t like to do it.
Going to take it easy now for the passage home. Hope it more pleasant than coming over.
No planes today. Guess there will be no trouble after all. Still raining. Tem. 47deg.
Jan. 8
Expected to sail today but orders for Convoy Conference on 9th, tomorrow. Won’t get out until 10th now. Anxious to get started and get home.
Stopped all shore liberty today just to make sure all crew would be on board. Not many want to go ashore anyway. Nothing there.
Still raining.
Received our new lifeboat today.
Jan. 9
Taking it easy today. Nothing to do. Sailing postponed again. Delay in Convoy from England. Skipper leaving today for Belfast. Conference tomorrow. Looks as if we may get out on 11th. Awful dreary.
Jan. 10
Had to go ashore today and attend fueling conference in Londonderry. Agents notified me escorts wanted to confer with oilers about new way of oiling at sea. Captain unable to attend so I had to go instead.
Hoped I would never have to go ashore again..
Still raining.
Jan. 11
Attended conference last night. Met all escort commanders. Decided to fuel over stern. Had a couple of drinks with Com. Blake and returned to Moville.
Storm raging out in bay and unable to get out to ship. Captain won’t arrive until tomorrow. Will have to stay ashore again or until boat able to get out to ship.
12 midnight. Boatman notified me he would be able to get us out to boat now. Was sleeping under a ton of quilts when called. Almost froze in boat. Safe aboard any way. Leaving early in A. M.
Jan. 12
Left Lough Foyle today after having been here since Dec. 31. Discharged cargo into corvettes, destroyers and duty boats. Dolphin and Empire Control. Had distinction of being mentioned by Lord Haw Haw in one of his broadcast from Berlin.
Quote: “Germany is not forgetting the disgraceful way Britain paraded the prisoners
of a captured U-Boat down the streets of Belfast. Her reminder will be that she is well aware of the 2 “sucklings” now reinforced by an American tanker lying in Lough Foyle.” Unquote:
Met all commanders of our Escort. Very much impressed by Senior Commander. Young fellow. Pleasing personality. Not one air raid while in port. Glad to get away. Have joined convoy from England. Only ship out of Lough Foyle. Furnished escort which returned to base.
Proceeding on double alert all night last night.
Jan. 13
Heard formation of planes come in from northwest. Probably searching for convoy. Low visibility. Rain.
Expected them today but have only seen Allied planes. Many of them. Subs reported in vicinity. Looks like early start.
Some sailor that went “loco” on me in New York is off again. Had to put handcuffs on him and lock him in hospital today. Have armed guard on day and night. Can’t keep a man locked up at sea in war time unless someone is standing by. Perhaps he’ll get better.
Increasing westerly winds. Sea building up. Expect heavy weather on way east. Glad to be on way home.
Jan. 14
No air or sub attacks last night or today. Looks pretty good from above now. Soon be out of bomber’s range. Planes won’t venture too close to American Base in Iceland. Sure lots of water between me and Drexel Hill. (Drexel Hill is outside Philadelphia.)
Let my crazy sailor loose today. And he tried to jump overboard. Should have let him go. I caught him just as he was about to leap. (Great armed guard.) Tired of fooling with him. Going to keep him locked up, war or no war. Have gun crew back in own quarters again. Peace reigns aft. Bar. Low 28.68. Strong N.W. wind. Getting colder. Seas high.
Jan. 15
Fair weather and everything fine last night and today. Wind died out on middle watch and seas moderated. Out of bomber range and still under Iceland patrol. Subs attacking convoys east bound farther north. U-boats reported along our route.
My sailor is better today. Have been talking to him but can’t quite figure him out. Took handcuffs off and put him at wheel with me. Steered fine. Sent him down to supplies and he ran towards rail. Locked him up again, just in case. Seemed a little more sensible. Asked me not to put cuffs on him.
Weather clear. Wind still N. W. Force 5. Barometer steady. Sea moderate.
Jan. 16
Fueled destroyer today. Had to make two attempts. First time had him all hooked up when sub was sighted. He cut my lines loose and went after him. Sub turned out to be a derelict. Turned job of destroying it over to Corvette and returned to fuel. Seas started to build and just before we finished he broke both hose and tore line.
Sure tired tonight. This fueling job hard work for oiler. Have two or three corvettes to fuel tomorrow. May not get them all. Another fuel ship in convoy.
Subs still operating on east bound convoys. Ships being attacked in north. Altering course often to confuse the enemy.
Wind increasing. Sea moderate. Westerly wind. Temp. 40 deg. Northern lights. Beautiful.
Jan. 17
Sub attack this morning on my watch. Ship hit close by. Sinking but most of crew saved, only men trapped below decks died.
I saw the sub’s periscope and part of tower, maneuvering for position to line up ship. I ordered wheel hard right in attempt to ram him. He let go his “tin fish” and the ship was torpedoed before I could get vessel around. He must have fired and pivoted below surface. Captain refused to let me circle but ordered to close up with convoy. Corvette came up and dropped depth charges so close am afraid may have shattered bottom plate. We are taking water.
Looks as if the “fun” has started. Wonder if I’ll get home after all. Weather too rough to fuel. Fresh breeze. Moderate rough sea. Temp. 40 deg. Bar. falling.
Jan. 18
Fueled one Corvette and attempted to fuel another today. Last one tore away his belts and parted my line. Weather a bit too heavy.
No attacks last night. Sub hit us yesterday must have been alone. Expected severe attacks last night. Bright moon light doesn’t help us much.
My sailor is o.k. now and back to work again. Seems as if he’ll make it o.k. He doesn’t know what’s wrong with him. We will see that he gets to hospital or nut house on our arrival in N.Y.
Nearly lost our new life boat today. Sea knocked it out of cradle. Weather building up. Heavy head seas. Bar. low. Colder 37 deg.
Jan. 19
Sub attacked last night. Far side of convoy hit. Two ships lost. Many men lost. Corvette dropped back with rescue ships trying to pick men up. Depth charges still being dropped tonight. We are taking water bad. Sure now we have a split plate. Pumps running full time.
Next ship to us had sea burial today. Burial at 4 p. m. All ships hoist colors to half mast until body is sent over. Flags then lowered to dip and again hoisted up. Salute by all ships in tribute to Allied Command who dies at sea. (British) How about a tribute to those that died last night?
Weather severe today. Shifting seas forward and aft. Getting colder 32 deg. Light snow. Northern Lights blended with Lunar rainbow. BEAUTIFUL!
Jan. 20
All quite on Atlantic front. No attacks. No reports. Have shifted to south and hope we are out of sub area. Avoiding far northern lanes. Too dangerous. Don’t expect any more trouble for a while. Hope I am right.
Thick fog last night. So heavy you got soaked. Bar. dropped to 28.35. Wind shifted to north. Temp. down to 28 deg. Now in Labrador Currents. Expect cold from now on.
Preparing ships for gales. Afraid of low glass seas increasing. Going to try and sleep tonight. Subs or no subs.
Jan. 21
No attacks. All quiet. Wind back to north west. Blowing gales. Ship rolling bad but taking less water. Pumps still going. Having to nurse ship through on account of damaged plates. Dry dock job this time. Don’t care – I am getting off anyway. Just hope she holds together until we get to Sandy Hook. Be willing to swim the rest of the way.
Subs now attacking south of us. May have to shift back to north again. Hope we don’t get caught in between the two firs. Sure loss if we get hit tonight. Raging seas. Temp. low 10 deg. Snow and hail. Bar. rising but too fast.
Jan. 22
Sub attack last night. Shots not effective. Missed us. Saw torpedo track. Corvettes and destroyer believed to have caught raider in circle of depth charges. Beautiful job of maneuvering.
Subs come up from underneath convoy. How they got by escort listening devices I don’t know.
Have an anxious feeling tonight. Feel as if this ship’s number is up. Wish I could get over it. Have always believed if there was one ship left in the convoy I had as much chance being that one as any other ship. All you ask for is a chance.
Weather is real bad. Northwest gales. Heavy seas. Snow. Sleet. Temp. 5 deg.
Jan. 23
No attacks last night. Believe it impossible for sub to get anywhere near surface. Worse storm I have ever seen, even hurricanes. Had to drop out of convoy. Wind was so bad we could not hold ship up into position. Could not steer or heave to. Thought ship would break in two at times. Worried about the bottom.
Found convoy again this a. m. Several ships are missing. Escorts are searching for them. Dangerous to be out of convoy now.
Weather is starting to break. Probably set in fog or snow. Seas moderated tonight. Temp. rising 15 deg. Bar. rising 28.72.
Jan. 24
One run, one hit, no errors. Attacked again this a. m. under full moon, Brithish freighter hit. South immediately. Nearly all hands believed to have been lost. Watched them trying to get boats in water. Could not make it. Seas too high. Lost sight of them in snow.
Just hanging on now hoping for the best. Have partly got over my uncomfortable feeling. Talked myself out of it. Said I was too mean and sinful to die. Guess I am right.
Wind due west. High heavy head seas. Bar. steady. Snow. Temp. rising. Ship solid so aid to U-boats in moon light. Flemish Gap tomorrow.
Jan. 25
All quite. No trouble last night. Reported on sub destroyed by air patrol north of us. Expect possible attackers yesterday may be following us. Zig-zagging tonight. Leak about stopped. Plates have possibly buckled.
Gun crew quarters froze out last night. Poor radiation system. Had to move them back in with crew. Levit no help. No discipline in Navy crew. No respect for their commanding officer. I can’t blame them. They do more for me, have more respect because I bawl them out. Levit seems afraid of them. Poor officer. Should be on farm.
Wind still high. South of Greenland now. Newfoundland tomorrow Temp. 20 deg. Snow, sleet. Ship completely covered with ice. If you don’t watch it you’ll slide overboard. Seas high.
Jan. 26
All very quite. No attacks. No reports. 1100 miles to go. Lots of water yet. Several ships still missing since big blow. Know what it means to be lost from Convoy. Will always remember Christmas day.
Weather warmer today. Temp. up to 33 deg. Ice melting on ship. Inside 1000 fathom curve. Water green now. Only about 6,000 feet deep. Glad to be back on the American side of the world.
One of gun crew passed out last night. Keeled over on deck. As usual Dr. Perkins is taking care of him. Capt. won’t go near sick. Don’t know what’s wrong with him. Don’t really care. Think it a phony. Gave him a dose of Epson Salts. Can’t do anymore than kill him.
Jan. 27
For once since leaving New York the seas were smooth. Light fog and gentle breeze from the north east. Very cautious tonight. Our only advantage is it is rather dark. Perfect U-boat weather. Convoy closed up tight.
I was awful sick last night. Food beginning to get bad and must have go hold of bad piece of meat. Cold sweats and vomiting all night. Feel better tonight. Guess I’ll live.
Everything peaceful with crews but having to watch them close. Going to try and sleep all night. Temp. 29 deg. Bar. 30.19. Sea smooth. Gentle north east breeze.
Jan. 28
Subs reported north of us. South, east and west, but no attacks for the past 4 days. Don’t mind the reports so much. We know they are there. Let’s hope we get through the ring. Not many more days left to go.
Lost my good friend Com. Blake today. Changed escorts and he went on into Halifax N.S. Fine fellow. Wish him luck.
Storm warnings up from Block Island to Virginia Capes. Looks as if we will have more mean weather before we get in. Bar. rising fast which means its traveling N. E. Expect to get most of it. Lot of snow and rain. Counting the days now and just hoping --- with fingers crossed.
Gentle S. E. breeze. Light sea. Overcast. Bar. 30.31 and rising. (3 days N. Easter)
Jan. 29
Ran into heavy weather last night. Snow, rain and fresh gales. Seas running high today.
Heavily armed Navy Tanker joined convoy last night during poor visibility. Convoy hadn’t been notified and most of us suspected him as possible surface raider. Every gun in convoy was trained on him until he properly identified himself. Raiders have joined other convoys before under similar conditions. He carried a battery of 6-20 m.m. guns, aft. 1-5” surface gun and 2-3” all purpose guns aft. 2-50 cal. Machine guns amidship, 2-30 cal. machine guns forward of bridge. 2-3” all purpose guns on fore deck and 2-20 m.m. with 5” surface gun forward.
No subs last night. Some reported ahead of us. Just let us get by 2 more nights.
Winds N. E. High seas.
Jan. 30
Looks as if we have made it through the ring. Few depth charges last night but no ships in convoy was attacked. Only one more night to go. If we get through this one o.k. Sure would be tough to get hit on last night.
Preparing for port today. Fairly high sea running but not so bad. Temp. 43 deg and believe me I’m going to take at least 2 hot baths tonight. At this temp. I could take to a boat with just a towel around me.
Wind and Bar. steady. Overcast.
Jan. 31
Arrived in N. Y. about 4 p. m. this afternoon – safely. Anchored off Staten Island. Voyage not over yet. Received orders proceed to Delaware Capes. Whence we shall get other orders for either Baltimore or Philadelphia. Ship going to dry dock. We shall leave at 3 a. m. tomorrow in convoy with 3 other ships bound for Delaware Bay. One escort.
Going to get a few hours sleep tonight. At least for these few hours I can take off my clothes and go to sleep knowing I won’t have to get up at the ring of a bell or an explosion. Am being relieved when we arrive in.
Feb. 1
Left New York at 3:15 a. m. this morning. Storm warnings displayed Sandy Hook to Delaware Capes. S. E. When passing thru net was advised by Navy we could proceed independently if so desired but would need no escort. Going to try to make it alone. All anxious to get home.
4:30 p. m. Arrived Overfalls L. V. Received no orders to go to Baltimore so will proceed to Phila. Voyage will soon be over. Awful tired and shall truly appreciate the vacation I am about to take.
I feel a little ashamed now that during some of the most trying days my assurance that we would get through deserted me. I honestly had no hopes for many of the days and nights were really doubtful. But I know that I shall experience more of those same days and nights and I will do my very best not to succumb to that feeling again.
Now that the voyage is over, the hardest trip I have ever made to date, I can truthfully say that I am proud of most of the men that have served under me. I hope they can say as well for me as I have done my best for them. I have tried to be a good and set an example for them to follow when the nights and long hours were the darkest and most doubtful. Beyond their knowledge I shared the same suspense, anxiety and nervous strains they endured. They have shown a courage, undaunted by trials of submarine warfare, which make the Merchant Marine a service that I am proud to be a part of.
Perhaps some of these men will sail with me again, and I shall be glad to have them. But if not with me, they shall return to sea on other ships. They will sail again over the same sub infested waters, suffering the same nights without rest and days without peace in order that the supplies may be delivered to us and our allies. I know they will continue to serve. They are needed and I am certain they shall continue to do their part in keeping the sea lanes open. I wish them all the best of luck.
To Commander Blake and all our escorts, both east and west passage, I can offer no words of praise that would do them justice. Although our dangers and hardships many, theirs is far greater. Their ships are small yet they must go through the same mountainous seas, snow, sleet and all the fury the North Atlantic has to offer in the winter months. There is no hesitation in contacting U-boats and delivering telling blows on the enemy. They all are ever watchful and willing to fight. Their eyes are always on their “children” for they are the guardians of the Convoys.
When this war is over I sincerely hope they shall receive their just reward for they will have done a great part in restoring this world to decency.
To those that died on this voyage, over 450 men, I offer silent tribute. Those men died under their flag, fighting for which that flag represents to us all – Freedom. They gave their lives in order that we may not spend our lives and the lives of generations to come, in a shackled, mad, slave driven world. I hope that these men shall not go unsung for they deserve a place in the light of the sun.
Bon Voyage,
Capt. H. Lee Perkins
Homer Lee Perkins ran away to sea at the age of sixteen. He first served as a cabin boy on a Merchant Marine ship sailing from Port Arthur, Texas. He was from a family that moved from town to town, never going to school full time and quitting altogether at the age of 15. He made a career of the Merchant Marines and worked up to the position Captain of a tanker. He served in peace time and in war time. His wife gave the log to his sister, which is copied above, after his death in 1980. She threw away all of his other logs thinking that no one would be interested in them but she thought his sister might want one in memory of him. I had read a few of them and each and everyone told a story. There were three or four logs per tour of duty. The first logs for this tour of duty were destroyed. His service covered a period of 45 years. On his last tour of duty his wife shipped with him as the ship’s librarian. It was for a period of two plus years spent entirely in the Mediterranean Sea. His wife, Gladys, said it was the most wonderful time of her life. They traveled all over Europe, Africa and the Near East during their off time and their home was filled with many beautiful things.
Uncle Homer was a man short in stature but he demanded respect. He expected each man under his authority to do his job and he usually gave more than he got in return. He never expected others to do more than their share, but he did expect everyone to do their share. He was not a kind man, but he was a fair man. Once someone became his friend, it was a friendship for life.
It always amazed me that someone with his background could go as far as he did and do the things he did. Even without an education I found his writings most interesting. He had a gift of telling things as they were. He was not one for elaborating or embroidering the truth. He spoke and wrote alike. I loved listening to him and with his logs were not destroyed.