S.S. Leopoldville Disaster: December 24, 1944 (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

. . . On behalf of the residents of New York City I express my appreciation to Allan Andrade for making this exhibition possible and for researching and writing a book on this tragedy. -- NYC Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani

. . . This story should hold a special place in every states history. Simply put, the 802 [763] soldiers that lost their lives deserve the proper respect and rememberance for their sacrifice, and those that survived need to be recognized for their valor. -- New York Congressman Gary L. Ackerman

Allan Andrade . . . has conducted his own investigation of the Leopoldville incident. . . . The American, British and Belgian governments engaged in a cover-up, filed the papers away as secret . . . -- Dennis Hevesi, The New York Times

I, George E. Pataki, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby recognize December 24, 1996, as S.S. LEOPOLDVILLE DISASTER REMEMBRANCE DAY . . .

From a proclamation that was made as a result of information provided by Allan Andrade -- George E. Pataki, Governor of the State of New York

Product Description

On December 24, 1944, Lt. Gerhard Meyer, German submarine commander of the U 486 fired a torpedo that sank the S.S. Leopoldville as it transported 2,000 American soldiers to reinforce the Battle of the Bulge. Of these men, mostly between the ages of 18 and 21, 763 were killed. Forty-seven of the then forty-eight states were represented among the dead.

On April 12, 1945 (the day President Franklin D. Roosevelt died), the U486 was torpedoed by a British submarineno survivors.

The S.S. Leopoldville DisasterDecember 24, 1944 recounts the incident through the stories of the survivors. It also tells the emotional stories of the families and loved ones back home through the letters sent to and from those killed. Some of the most emotional and poignant letters are reproduced in the book.

The vulnerability of the S.S. Leopoldville and the lack of emergency preparation, which caused so many soldiers to die, was an embarrassment to the various Allied governments involved, resulting in what might be considered a cover-up, even long after the incident was declassified in 1959. It was only through the authors research, 50 years after the event, that some siblings, wives, and children of the men lost discovered what really happened.

The author, Allan Andrade, a retired NYC police lieutenant and a trained investigator, has done exhaustive work, well beyond the writing of this book, by bringing public attention to this event. His enthusiasm and drive have resulted in several state and local governments issuing proclamations commemorating the incident, as well as a national monument in Fort Benning, Georgia. For many families it brought closure to a horrible time in their lives.

The Appendix contains both a by-state list of the men killed, and a list of survivors by rank, Company, and Division (all were members of the 66th Panther Division).

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Tern Book Company; 1st edition (July 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890309540
• ISBN-13: 978-1890309541
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,121,549 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book that is a Serice to the contry as well as a good read, June 11, 2000

By	P. A TILLERY "kilroywashere-org" (Pensacola, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"`Hey, I'm alive!' Drew blacked out. When he came to, he found himself on a beach, naked protected only by a raincoat thrown over him. He heard a faint voice `Throw him in there too.' Drew, realizing that they thought he was dead, yelled." This is just one of many harrowing tales of a life and death struggle resulting from the sinking. "SS Leapoldville Disaster, December 24, 1944" is the story of this troopship loaded with American troops being rushed to the help in the Battle of the Bulge. It was sunk barely five miles from shore taking with it 763 American servicemen. The book consists of many short stories detailing individual accounts of the disaster. Even the Introduction has 38. These were compiled from hundreds of interviews and research. Andrade includes many actual copies of letters. Perhaps the most moving are letters from parents to their sons before they knew they were dead. One story in particular is very moving: "Lt. Gene Barwick died that night. They never recovered his body. Each Christmas Eve reminded Barwick's parents of his death. His young bride eventually remarried and had two children but 20 years after her first love's death, she took her own life on a Christmas Eve." Many who died were only 18 to 21 years old and came from 47 of the (then) 48 states. All are listed by state in the In Memoriam Section at the end of the book as are the survivors.

This disaster was kept secret for many years. It was understandable during the war but not so afterwards. Allan Andrade has done a service to the nation and to the families of those lost with his book. It is well done, and an easy read - well worth your time!...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A meaningful memorial to all on the Leopoldville, May 16, 2000

By	Gaye Willis (Juneau, Alaska) - See all my reviews

My father-in-law's brother perished in the sinking of the Leopoldville. I married into the family 20 years ago and never really knew what happened to Uncle Waldo. Now I am filled with a great sense of loss at never having known him--and that loss is compounded as I think of the nearly 800 families who lost sons, husbands, fathers, and uncles.

I am also filled with a great sense of appreciate and reverence for all those on board--for those who gave their lives and for those who survived the terror.

Allan Andrade did a great job of presenting the story and introducing those who involved. They are very real people to me now. I finished the book with tears streaming down my cheeks. This is a must read for anyone who had family involved in the sinking. It is an important piece of history for everyone. It reminds us of the price others paid for our freedom, but it also raises important questions about the mistakes or errors that contributed to the loss and the failure to acknowledge those problems.

Thank you, Mr. Andrade, for writing this important book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative., February 15, 2000

By A Customer

I just put this book down and was astonished both by the tragedy of the disaster and by Andrade's insightful and meticulous reporting. I highly recommend it.