Frances Owens to Samuel Robert Owens, January 10, 1942

WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Charlie Worsham (Creator)

Institution

Western Carolina University (WCU )

Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/

Advisor

Brian Gastle

Abstract: The following is a letter from Frances Elvira Alexander Owens (1879–1965) of Webster, NC, to her son, Samuel Owens (1918–1995), who was then serving in the U.S. Navy. At the time of the letter’s original posting, Samuel Owens was aboard a submarine tender, the USS Canopus. When the U.S. entered WWII, the Canopus was stationed in Manila Bay. On December 29, 1941, a Japanese bomb penetrated several decks of the ship and exploded on the propeller shaft, rendering the Canopus immobile. The crew abandoned the ship during the day, using ropes to rig the ship askance until nightfall so that it appeared to the Japanese to be derelict. The Canopus serviced its last submarine the week of April 1 (USS Canopus Part I). On April 9, 1941, the ship was scuttled, or intentionally sunk, to keep its valuable equipment out of enemy hands (USS Canopus Part II).

Frances Owens to Samuel Robert Owens, January 10, 1942
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Created on 12/14/2017
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Additional Information

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Other

Language: English

Date: 2017

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