CHENEY-EDWIN

At 5:05 on the morning of March 13, 1942, the SS John D. Gill, a steam powered oil tanker, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-158 about 25 miles east of Cape Fear, North Carolina.  A torpedo stuck the ship on the starboard side amidships and although the ship was carrying 141,981 barrels of crude oil, the explosion did not ignite the cargo.  However, as the ship began to sink a life ring tossed overboard with a self-igniting carbide light turned the ship and sea into a burning inferno, forcing the eight officers and 34 crewmen to abandon ship within eight minutes, followed by the seven Navy armed guards.  During the sinking, Able Seaman Edwin Fox Cheney Jr., although severely burned, was instrumental in saving several shipmates who were injured and unable to help themselves.  For his actions Cheney was one of the first men to be awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award which can be bestowed upon members of the Merchant Marine.

CITATION

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to Edwin F. Cheney Jr., Able Seaman, on SS John D. Gill for heroism on March 12, 1942, above and beyond the call of duty during enemy attack when he released and launched a life-raft from a sinking and burning ship and maneuvered it through a pool of burning oil to clear water by swimming under water, coming up only to breathe.  Although he had incurred severe burns about the face and arms in this action, he then guided four of his shipmates to the raft, and swam to and rescued two others who were injured and unable to help themselves.  His extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety in thus rescuing his shipmates will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.

On October 8, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pinned the DSM Medal on Cheney as Vice Admiral Emory S. Land, USN, Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission, watched the ceremony.  A photograph of the ceremony was featured in a 1942 Life Magazine article.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)