Harry Jenkins Sherbondy, Junior

Private

United States Army Finance Corps

Harry Jenkins Sherbondy, the youngest child of Harry Jenkins and Alice May Sparrow Sherbondy, was born 5 November 1913 in Dawson, Pennsylvania.

He married the former Hazel Sanders in 1939 and made their home in Washington D.C.

On 9 June 1942, Harry enlisted in the United States Army.  After completing his basic training and advanced individual training as a finance clerk, Harry received orders for the 3rd Finance Section in the European Theater of Operations.  He reported to Pier 11 on Staten Island, New York and boarded the USS Dorchester (an ex-coastal luxury passenger ship of 5,649 tons converted to a troop carrier) on 22 January 1943.  With 902 passengers and crew on board, the USS Dorchester left New York for St. John's, Newfoundland, arriving there on 27 January.  At approximately 1700 hours on 29 January, the USS Dorchester departed for the American base at Nararssuck, Greenland as part of Convoy SG-19.  At approximately 0355 hours on 3 February and about 150 miles south of Cape Farewell, the German submarine U-223 (Kptlt. Karl-Jung Wächter) fired a torpedo at the USS Dorchester.  Within 25 minutes of being torpedoed, the USS Dorchester sank.  In all, 672 souls were lost, including Harry.

His wife; mother; three brothers, Braden, Donald, and James; and sister, Elizabeth Weaver survived Harry.  His father preceded him in death.

Private Harry Jenkins Sherbondy, Junior, United States Army, is still listed a Missing in Action.  His name can be found on the East Coast National Memorial in Battery Park; New York, New York and at Arlington National Cemetery at Memorial Section 3.

Among his awards and decorations is the Purple Heart.

Source of information:

1.      George Duncan’s Maritime Disasters of the Second World War (http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan/maritime-1a.html#maritime_disasters_1943).

2.      United States. National Archives and Records Administration. World War II & Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Original data from: United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Register, World War II Dead Interred in American Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil and World War II and Korea Missing or Lost or Buried at Sea. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 19xx.

3.      National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64; National Archives at College Park, MD.

4.      The Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania). 15 February 1943, page 1.

5.      The Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania). 20 December 1971, page 32.

6.      e-Mail from Nancy P. Byrd on 27 January and 17 February 2006.  Nancy is Harry’s third cousin.