FUELING FOR BATTLE

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George G. Henry - (1935-1942 & 1946-1949)

FUELING FOR BATTLE

SS George G. Henry.

By a coincidence that helped to make history, the Panama Transport Company tanker George G. Henry, while time chartered

to the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company, happened to be at Manila on December 8, 1941, East Longitude time, when Japan at-

tacked Pearl Harbor.

Destined to take part in great events, the George G. Henry, in a succession of fateful war adventures in the Far East, survived

the Japanese bombing raid on the merchant vessels in Manila Bay, December 10, 1941, escaped from Manila at night under

Navy orders, and set forth on a highly dangerous fueling mission, heading southward through enemy controlled seas.

After voyaging alone and unarmed for more than 1,600 miles to Borneo and Java without being sighted by an enemy ship or

plane, the merchant tanker was dispatched to Australia with a powerful escort of American warships and had the honor to

serve as a fueling vessel of vital importance to the United States Asiatic Fleet.

In fact, the George G. Henry was the only privately owned American built tanker that fueled warships of the Asiatic Fleet during

the next four months of our desperate defensive in the Southwest Pacific. She was one of the fleet's three fueling ships, the

others being the Navy oilers USS Pecos and USS Trinity.

Many Near Misses.

Narrowly missing destruction on several occasions, the George G. Henry came through each peril without the slightest injury

and with no casualty among her American officers and her crew of Filipinos and Malays. She backed out of an American

mine field in the nick of time and went directly through Netherlands navy mine fields of whose existence she was unaware.

She exceeded her speed record until barnacles and seaweed slowed her down. Whether sailing in convoy or singly, she

always arrived at the right place at the right time, with a full cargo and her pumps ready to fill the bunkers of our fighting ships.

Throughout her adventures, the George G. Henry maintained a consistent record of operating skill, all-out daring regardless

of danger, uncanny luck, and efficient fueling of American naval vessels under emergency conditions. She often fueled four

destroyers at a time. Her work was carried out both day and night, whenever an American warship signaled for her services

or came alongside.

At Balik Papan, Borneo, on her way south from Manila, the George G. Henry loaded the last cargo taken from the great oil

center before the Dutch dynamited their wells and put the torch to their storage tanks.

With this important cargo of fuel oil the George G. Henry made her rendezvous with cruisers and destroyers of the American

fleet at the main Netherlands naval base, Surabaya, Java. From there she sailed in convoy December 31, 1941, to Port

Darwin, Australia.

From Surabaya to Australia.

The movement of the George G. Henry from Surabaya to Darwin was under the immediate direction of Rear Admiral (now

Vice Admiral) William A. Glass-ford, USN, Task Force Commander, and was made in conformity with a Washington de-

cision to use Port Darwin as the American base.

When the George G. Henry began her fleet fueling services at Darwin, Netherlands and British surface ships were still es-

corting troop convoys to Malaya and they carried out this essential task until early in February, 1942. Therefore, until after

the Battle of Makassar •Strait in late January, U. S. cruisers and destroyers were the only surface forces that could strike

at the enemy. In thus bearing the brunt of naval resistance to the Japanese advance, these American warships were as-

sisted by Netherlands and American submarines, by the PBYs of Patrol Wing Ten, and by Allied bombing planes, including

American Flying Fortresses.

At that time Port Darwin, although an "anchor to windward", was more of a name on the map than a fueling station for the

fleet. Surrounded by mango swamps and having a temperature of 100 to 110 degrees, it was separated from the rest of

Australia by the Great Australian Desert. An anchorage, with a warehouse and an air field, it had but few oil storage tanks-

which contained British naval oil supplies- and only one pier. The pier could not berth more than two ships at a time and

was in almost constant use by freighters unloading supplies of food and equipment from south and southwest Australia.

Through the foresight shown in the Navy orders given to the George G. Henry at Manila and her success in eluding the

enemy and reaching Surabaya, she was one of the two American Fleet tankers stationed at Darwin, the other being the

USS Pecos.

It was of the greatest importance that the other Navy oiler, the USS Trinity, should continue to fuel our cruisers and des-

troyers at meeting places north of the Malay Barrier islands and elsewhere, at considerable distances from Darwin,

Surabaya, and Tjilatjap.

Important Auxiliary Ship.

Thus the George G. Henry, together with the Pecos, the Trinity and Netherlands fueling stations, made it possible to keep

the bunkers of our warships constantly filled, in readiness for extended high speed runs in battle. Moreover, the arrival of

the Henry at Surabaya, at just the right time, with her cargo of fuel oil from Balik Papan, assisted Admiral Thomas C. Hart,

USN, in making prompt and effective use of Darwin as a fueling station for his fleet. As to promptness, the George G.

Henry's first job at Darwin was to pump 13,900 barrels of fuel oil into the tanks of the USS Pecos.

The George G. Henry became an important auxiliary ship of our fighting fleet in the Southwest Pacific. In the extremely

critical first phase of the conflict, small Allied naval and air forces fought three main offensive actions in desperate efforts

to delay, and to damage as much as possible, Japanese troop-laden convoys heavily guarded by warships superior in

number and firepower.

These three main actions were the Battle of Makassar Strait, January 23 to 26, the Battle of Badoeng Strait, February 19

and 20, and the Battle of the Java . Sea, February 27 and 28, 1942-the last supreme effort, made at tragic cost, to delay

and weaken the southward march of Japan until reinforcements arrived.

The George G. Henry fueled American destroyers during the reconnaissance and patrol operations preceding the Battle

of Makassar Strait and continued this service until most of our naval vessels at Darwin were transferred to Tjilatjap,

shortly before the Battle of Badoeng Strait.

In view of these services, it now seems in order to describe this merchant tanker that helped fuel the fleet, and to give

the names of her officers.

Built in California.

For the historical record, the SS George G. Henry, sister ship of the Esso tanker Allan Jackson, was built by the Union Iron

Works Company at San Francisco, 'California, in 1917. She was therefore 24 years old at the time of the attack on Pearl

Harbor.

A single-screw vessel of 10,840 deadweight tons capacity on international summer draft of 27 feet, 1 inch, the George

G. Henry has an overall length of 453 feet, a length between perpendiculars of 435 feet, a moulded breadth of 56 feet,

and a depth moulded of 33 feet, 6 inches. With a cargo carrying capacity of 78,166 barrels, she has an assigned pump-

ing rate of 4,000 barrels an hour.

Her triple expansion engine, supplied with steam by three Scotch boilers, develops 2,800 indicated horsepower and

gives her a classification certified speed of 10.2 knots.

From the outbreak of war in Europe on September 3, 1939, to December 15, 1941, when the George G. Henry left

Manila under Navy orders, she made 30 voyages in the Atlantic and 12 in the Pacific Ocean. The vessel was sailing

under the American flag from September 3, 1939 to July 23, 1940, when she was sold to the Panama Transport

Company.

Her wartime cargo record, up to December 15, 1941, was in summary as follows:

Year	Voyages (Cargoes)	Barrels
1939	6	436,282
1940	17	1,215,634
1941	19	1,283,459
	42	2,935,375

The Ship's Officers.

During her war adventures as a merchant tanker the George G. Henry was commanded by Captain Jens G. Olsen.

He had served on Standard Oil Company of New Jersey and Panama Transport Company tankers since April 19,

1920, with continuous service as master since March 27, 1926. From April 15, 1942 to December 1, 1945, Captain

Olsen was on active duty in the Naval Reserve, first as a lieutenant commander and later as a commander.

The other deck officers of the George G. Henry during the time of this story were Chief Mate Simpson W. Logan,

whose eye-witness account of the tanker's exploits is hereafter related; Second Mate Vincent F. Lucas, who was

on active service in the Naval Reserve from April 15, 1942, first as a lieutenant and later as a lieutenant commander;

and Third Mate Edward S. Boudreaux.

Lieutenant Commander Lucas served as an officer on the USS Victoria (AO 46) and the USS Schuylkill (AO 76)

and was executive officer of the Navy cargo ship USS Sirius (AK 15).

The chief engineer of the George G. Henry was Joseph E. Jacobs, who had served on Standard Oil Company of

New Jersey tankers since March 29, 1929 and as a licensed officer since October 25, 1932. He was promoted to

chief engineer at the time of his assignment to the George G. Henry. After his return to the United States and follow-

ing a tour of duty as an inspector of construction of one of the Company's new tankers, he again went to sea as

chief engineer. He lost his life when his ship, the Esso Gettysburg, was torpedoed in the Atlantic on June 10, 1943.

The other engineer officers of the George G. Henry were First Assistant Engineer Petrus S. Jacobs, Second As-

sistant Engineer Severino Jose, a Filipino who replaced his American predecessor before December 8, 1941;

and Third Assistant Engineer Harry Moller- who later joined the Navy and became engineering officer of the LST

1024. The radio operator of the Henry was Albert L. Brown, who contributed information for the vessel's early war

history.

At Darwin, between January 10 and February 11, 1942, the George G. Henry fueled the aircraft tender Langley, the

destroyers Alden, Barker, Bulmer, John D. Ford, Parrott, Peary, Pope, and Wm. B. Preston, the gunboat Tulsa,

and the seaplane tenders Lark and Heron, which serviced the PBYs of the famous Patrol Wing Ten.

Among the foregoing ships, the John D. Ford, Parrott, and Pope were three of the four destroyers-the only Allied

surface vessels-that fought in the Battle of Makassar Strait and the same three were among the six American des-

troyers that took part with other Allied ships in the Battle of Badoeng Strait.

It is clear from official reports that the offensive actions in Makassar and Badoeng Straits, fought during the period

when the George G. Henry was a fueling vessel of our Asiatic Fleet, delayed the enemy's advance, gained time for

the arrival of reinforcements, and diminished the striking power of Japan's invasion armadas. They therefore pro-

bably had a favorable effect on the critical Battle of the Coral Sea, May 7 and 8, 1942, which, to quote Admiral King's

report, "effectively checked the Japanese in their advance to the southward." .

Eye-Witness Accounts.

The following narrative is based on the story of Chief Mate Logan, interviews with Radio Operator Brown, entries

in the ship's logs, and conferences with Captain Olsen in December, 1945, when he returned from service in the

Navy. The story is told in relation to naval and military events in the Pacific during the first four months of the war.

The George G. Henry sailed from New York on April 28, 1941, for a long voyage. Before leaving New York the vessel

was manned by a crew of Malays. Loading at Aruba early in May, and discharging cargo at Balboa, Canal Zone,

and at Golfito and Quepos Point, in Costa Rica, she had proceeded to San Pedro, California, loading there for Manila.

She bunkered at Honolulu and arrived at Manila for the first time on June 29.

During the next six months, under time charter to the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company, the George G. Henry was

running from loading ports in Borneo and Sumatra to ports in the Philippines and to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Her

loadings were made chiefly at Balik Papan and Palembang, but occasionally at Tarakan, in Dutch Borneo, and at

Miri, in Sarawak.

The peacetime voyages of the George G. Henry were uneventful. Although the ship's officers were away from home

for a long time, the Far East was new and strange to them and therefore interesting.

Attack at Manila.

The George G. Henry, with a cargo of 69,557 barrels of fuel oil loaded at Palembang and at Tandjong Oeban, on

Bintang Island, near Singapore, arrived at Manila on December 4, 1941, East Longitude time.

On Pearl Harbor Day-Monday, December 8, 1941, for the George G. Henry but Sunday, December 7, for Americans

at home-peace and quiet ended abruptly. The George G. Henry had discharged some of her cargo at Manila and

had left the dock for her intended trip to Cebu, where her remaining cargo was to be discharged.

At Corregidor, on the west side of Manila Bay, the Army Signal Station ordered Captain Olsen to return to Manila

and anchor. "No ships," it was explained, "are allowed to leave the port."

The Henry was the first ship to leave the dock at Manila after the news of Pearl Harbor and the first ship to be turned

back at Corregidor. According to Chief Mate Logan, "No one knew what Japanese ships might be around," but it was

afterward learned that the enemy, on December 8, landed on Lubang Island, about 42 miles southwest of Corregidor.

At noon on December 8, Captain Olsen dropped anchor outside of Manila harbor breakwater. The ship's place of

anchorage was not far from the scene of the Battle of Manila Bay, which brought fame to Admiral Dewey and later

resulted in American possession of the Philippines. Also at anchor in the general vicinity between Manila and Cavite

were about 30 other ships, including passenger vessels and freighters with refugees from Hong Kong, Shanghai,

and other ports of the Far East.

The first enemy action at Manila came at about; 1 a.m. on Tuesday, December 9. One enemy bomber, according

to Chief Mate Logan, appeared over the city and dropped bombs on the Army airport, Nichols Field, starting fires that

burned until shortly before daylight.

No further enemy action was seen by the ship's officers during the rest of the day, but the all-pervading silence was

reminiscent of the lull preceding a storm at sea.

The day of the first heavy Japanese bombing raid on Manila was Wednesday, December 10. Captain OIsen was

ashore at the time of the raid, conferring with the agent of the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company. Chief Mate Logan,

who stood in the open, near the midship house, during all but a few seconds of the raid, gave the following eye-

witness account of the bombing:

"The crew was busy painting the ship war gray," he said, "and covering all marks of her identity, when, at 12:45 p.m.,

I heard heavy anti-aircraft fire from the vicinity of the Quartermaster Dock in the port area, where we had often d

ischarged cargo. Looking in that direction, I could see the flames from the guns of the submarine tender USS

Canopus (sunk by enemy bombers on April 9, 1942, the day after the fall of Bataan). She was the first vessel to

open fire. Following the angle of the gun flashes skyward, I saw 27 Japanese two-engine planes flying high in a

close V-formation at about 25,000 feet and coming in from north of the city. The enemy bombers came over Manila

and then turned eastward, disappearing in a cloud bank.

"A few minutes later the Japanese planes reappeared, heading westward and flying at a lower altitude.

"By this time, the air raid siren on the Custom House tower had begun to give warning that an enemy raid was in

progress. About nine Navy 3-inch antiaircraft guns had opened fire, but it seemed evident that the guns were un-

able to reach the planes. There was no fighter plane opposition.

"The Japanese bombers withheld fire until clear of the city and the port area. Then, as they passed over the break-

water, heading toward the Navy Yard, they began bombing and machine-gunning the thirty ships anchored, more

or less closely together, on the route they were taking. The first bombs fell into the bay, but the enemy was efficient

and laid a swath of fire about 2,000 feet wide over the heaviest concentration of shipping.

Close Call.

"A Filipino freighter, the Sagoland, was the only ship actually sunk, but other ships were damaged. The Sagoland

was anchored about three cable lengths from the Henry. She received three direct hits and began to burn imme-

diately. The barges that had been alongside her were smashed to bits.

"Five bombs fell between the Sagoland and the George G. Henry. The nearest explosion caused our ship to roll

and vibrate as if she were breaking up on the rocks, but she was not damaged, although a bucketful of bomb frag-

ments and machine gun bullets was later picked up on deck. Just before the enemy planes strafed the George G.

Henry, Second Mate Lucas was standing in front of the door of the midship house. He went inside. A piece of

shrapnel about two inches long hit where he had been standing.

"I saw a little ship of about 5,000 tons, with 206 refugees from China aboard, receive a bomb hit through the midship

house. The bomb exploded 'tween decks and set the ship on fire, but the fire was soon put out. The only casualties

were suffered by the ship's officers. The chief mate was killed and the second and third mates badly injured.

"As I was acting captain, when the enemy attack began I ordered the crew of Filipinos and Malays to take shelter

under the midship house. The men remained there until the bombers had passed over the ship. When I called

them out, no one was hurt. An hour later, it was found that four Malays had jumped overboard. They were clinging

to the rudder until their calls for help were heard and they were hauled on board, soaked but uninjured.

Bombing of Cavite.

"The raiding planes saved their heaviest bombs for the Navy Yard at Cavite. They had taken the ships in their stride

and were over Cavite in what seemed a few seconds later.

"I shall never forget the bombing of the Cavite Navy Yard, first by the formation of planes that bombed the ships,

and the second time by another formation of about 27 planes, which sneaked in from somewhere south of Cor-

regidor. Both of these formations had come from Formosa, about 600 miles to the north.

"The detonations at Cavite were tremendous. When other officers of the George G. Henry and I came out from

behind the midship house, the fires at the Navy Yard were already raging around the warehouses and dry docks.

The fuel dumps had been hit. We found afterward that the carnage was indescribable. The Navy Hospital was

obliterated."

After December 10, the merchant ships in Manila Bay escaped southward in convoys, each convoy escorted by

American naval vessels, but as the Henry's remaining cargo was needed. Captain Olsen was instructed to await

an opportunity for a berth to complete discharge of cargo. Therefore the George G. Henry was unable to join any

of the convoys.

On December 12, the day of the Jap landings at Aparri and Vigan in the north and at Legaspi in southeastern

Luzon, the George G. Henry was ordered to go to Pier 7, in the Port Area, to discharge her remaining cargo.

"Since the raid of December 10," Chief Mate Logan said, "there had been at least one air raid alarm a day. This

continued while the ship was at Manila. Each time the alarm was sounded, all hands were called to fire stations.

"While the George G. Henry was discharging at Pier 7, the pumps had to be shut down now and then while the

pipeline ashore was used to load fuel into various Navy and other vessels.

"This was the first war service rendered by the Henry. Discharging was completed on the night of December

12. In all, the George G. Henry discharged about 69,500 barrels of fuel oil at Manila."

On the morning of the 13th, the Henry left the dock and returned to her anchorage. Finally, on December 15,

Captain Olsen returned from his daily conference at the agent's office with the news that the authorities had

given him permission to leave the port, provided the escape was made during the hours of darkness. He also

received orders to proceed to Balik Papan for further instructions and was informed that the George G. Henry

had been time chartered by the Navy.

Mine Field.

"Captain Olsen," the chief mate continued, "hove

up anchor at sunset and the Henry headed for the buoyed channel through the mine field between Corregidor

and Bataan. The mined area was about two miles wide. At Manila, the captain had been told that there would

be three lighted buoys to guide the ship through the mine field, but as the George G. Henry

approached the mined area. Captain Olsen found that it was completely dark. The ship was slowed down.

"A blinker signal began to flash from Corregidor:

'What ship and where bound?' The Henry's blinker lights answered.

"Immediately the Army Signal Station replied: 'Get out to eastward and wait! You are near the mine field!'

"Full Astern".

"A strong current, setting outward between Corregidor and Bataan, was carrying the George G. Henry near

the mine field. Captain Olsen realized that it would be dangerous to swing the ship and therefore ordered full

speed astern.

"If ever a ship's engine went full astern, that one did!

"What was there to do? With permission to leave granted, there was no way to leave. The ship waited an hour

or so for any development that might occur.

"Then a destroyer came along. It was the USS Bulmer. When her captain learned of our predicament he sent

a motor launch over and put a light on the buoy at the entrance to the mine field and asked what speed we

could make. Captain Olsen said 'Ten knots.' Then we were instructed to follow the Bulmer's blue stern light

through the mine field. Corregidor put searchlights on the left-hand buoys as we went along. When both ves-

sels were in the clear, the destroyer's commander wished the tanker good luck.

"We were going to need it in our attempt to reach Balik Papan through seas in which a Jap warship or plane

might sight us at any moment.

Across the Sulu Sea.

"Bidding goodbye to the USS Bulmer, a friend in need. Captain Olsen kept the Henry on a course that took

the vessel well out in deep water as soon as Corregidor was cleared. The following morning, however, he

brought the ship close to the western coast of Mindoro. His plan was to hug the land until past the island of

Panay, and then set a course directly across the Sulu Sea to the Pearl Island passage through the reefs

that fringe its southern side.

"We could see the Japanese on one small island in the Philippine group. It looked as if they could use it for an

air field."

The next day, December 16, the tanker passed Ambulong Lighthouse, off southern Mindoro. On December

17, the day the Japanese landed at Brunei and Miri on the northwest coast of Borneo, the George G. Henry,

which was heading for its east coast, passed Naso Point, on the southwestern tip of Panay, before 1 a.m.

On the 18th, at 2:40 a.m., land was sighted. The Henry hove to and then zigzagged until 6 a.m.

"Thus far," Logan explained, "all navigation lights on the way and all other aids to navigation were found to

have been destroyed. This had been done mainly by gunfire from American warships.

"Captain Olsen had been warned that enemy ships might be met anywhere south of Manila, but none had

been seen at any time, nor did any plane appear in view. A lone fishing boat was the only vessel sighted be-

tween Manila and Pearl Island.

On to Balik Papan.

"The Henry had proceeded unmolested out of the Sulu Sea and southward past the island of Tawitawi, a

restricted Navy anchorage. From Tawitawi a course was set for Tandjong Mangkalihat, on the east coast

of Borneo, at the entrance to Makassar Strait/ Netherlands and American patrol planes were met in the

Celebes Sea and northward of Makassar Strait, but the enemy, thus far, had been eluded."

On December 20, the day the Japanese landed at Davao on the southern coast of Mindanao, the George

G. Henry arrived at Balik Papan. Full credit, regardless of luck, goes to Captain Olsen for taking the ship

safely to Balik Papan through seas controlled or threatened by the enemy.

Credit should also be given, in remembrance, to Chief Engineer Jacobs, as the veteran ship had made

the run from Manila in record time, judging from her engineer's logs. For 1,167 miles, her time was 4 days,

8 hours, 3 minutes.

After some delay at Balik Papan, because cargo was not ready, the Henry loaded about 75,000 barrels of

fuel oil.

When her officers went ashore, the Netherlands officials showed them where the explosives had been

placed that were later to be set off, on January 22, causing as nearly total destruction as they could devise

before the Japanese landed on January 23, the first day of the Battle of Makassar Strait.

Hazards Pile Up.

On December 24, the day before the surrender of Hong Kong, the George G. Henry left Balik Papan for

Surabaya. On Friday, December 26, she arrived off the north entrance to the naval base at 9:12 p.m.

She had traveled 469 miles in 2 days, 3 hours, 42 minutes. After waiting till morning, she anchored off-

shore on the 27th to await instructions.

To return to Logan's story:

"At 2:03 p.m., a Netherlands minesweeper came in and reported to us that the Japanese had blocked

the north entrance with mines. We were told to remain at anchor until the 28th and then go around Ma-

doera Island, a trip of 260 miles, and anchor in the south entrance to the base, which we reached on the

29th.

"When the Henry arrived at the south entrance and anchored near the lightship, a Netherlands reserve

officer came aboard. Captain Olsen asked him about the Japanese mine fields and he said they were

being swept. He went over to a Netherlands merchant ship and talked to the master. Then he came

back and asked Captain Olsen if he could stand a shock. 'You have come directly through unswept

areas of mine fields laid by Netherlands naval vessels,' the officer said.

"We were later informed, however, that a channel had been swept through the Netherlands mine area

and we followed the swept channel on our return trip.

"By that time, the north entrance had been cleared of Japanese mines and Captain Olsen was instruct-

ed to go back around Madoera Island and enter Surabaya from the north. We could then anchor in deep-

er water and await orders from the Allied naval command headquarters.

Australia-Bound.

It was early in the morning of the 31st of December that the George G. Henry sailed from Surabaya, in a

heavily guarded convoy, for Port Darwin. The escort consisted of the famous cruiser USS Boise, the

equally famous destroyers USS John D. Ford and USS Pope, two submarines, and the destroyer tender

USS Black Hawk.

"At 6 a.m. on January 1, 1942, the day the enemy occupied Sarawak, the convoy was rounding the

beautiful island of Bali, then about two miles to starboard, near the entrance to Lombok Strait.

"The Boise sent up a plane to make sure there were no Jap ships on the other side of Bali and Lombok

Islands. When the plane returned and reported 'All clear', the convoy proceeded, zigzagging all that

afternoon and for several days afterward as a precaution against enemy submarines.

"On January 2, when the Japs took Manila and Cavite, the convoy, after passing the primitive island of

Komodo, famous for its giant lizards, waited off the island of Soembawa for a rendezvous with the Navy

oiler USS Trinity and a destroyer. These ships were found and notified by a plane from the Boise.

"The Boise, flanked by destroyers, then led the convoy south of Soembawa or Sandalwood Island, and

north of Sawoe Island, to Koepang, on the island of Timor. At Koepang the Trinity and two destroyers

left the convoy on a secret mission and the other ships proceeded to Port Darwin, a distance of 450

miles, arriving there January 6. The run from Surabaya, 1,344 miles, had taken 6 days, 2 minutes."

Soon afterward, the George G. Henry began fueling ships of the U. S. Asiatic Fleet, as previously des-

cribed. On occasion, she also fueled ships of the Australian Navy.

Darwin Bombed.

While the Henry was at Darwin, Japanese conquests reached great proportions. The enemy occupied

Tarakan in Borneo and Menado in the Celebes, gaining a grip on Makassar Strait. Although their losses

in the Battle of Makassar Strait stalled that particular invasion convoy for some time, it did not prevent

the enemy from landing at Balik Papan. They also struck eastward and took Rabaul in New Britain and

invaded New Ireland; they captured the Netherlands base at Amboina in the Moluccas.

During the first two weeks of February it was felt increasingly that Darwin might soon be subjected to

enemy bombing raids, and, in fact, the port was practically wiped out by a heavy air raid on February

19, "which destroyed the airport, warehouse, docks, and virtually every ship in the harbor, including our

destroyer Peary." (Report of Admiral King.)

Before the attack on Darwin, the George G. Henry, with her usual good fortune, received orders to pro-

ceed to Fremantle, on the west coast of Australia. Early in February her Balik Papan cargo was running

low. Therefore, Captain Olsen was instructed to load a new cargo from the shore tanks. As our Navy

base force command was to be transferred to Fremantle, the Henry took on board all its office equipment

and 200 tons of mechanical equipment as deck cargo in preparation for going in convoy.

Japanese planes were making reconnaissance flights over Port Darwin while the George G. Henry was

preparing to leave.

At about this time, most of the ships of the Asiatic Fleet at Darwin were transferred to Tjilatjap. There

was no telling how long this naval station would be tenable and the situation required the preparation

of a more distant fueling station at Fremantle.

On February 11, the George G. Henry sailed from Darwin, escorted by the Langley and the Peary. The

second day out, the Peary turned back to the port from which she never sailed again. Before leaving

Darwin, the George G. Henry had fueled the Langley for her last mission, a bold attempt to take fighter

planes to Tjilatjap to strengthen the defenses of Java. The Langley was crippled by Japanese bombs

and had to be sunk by American warships. The surviving members of her crew were taken aboard

the Pecos, which was lost soon afterward.

Barnacles and Seaweed.

From Darwin to Fremantle the going was slow. By this time the George G. Henry was covered with

barnacles and seaweed and could scarcely make more than 7 knots. The convoy was zigzagging

much of the time and on this voyage of 1,890 miles the Henry's time was 10 days, 10 hours.

On the third day out, the Langley wished the George G. Henry good luck and they parted company, as

the tanker could not keep up with the aircraft tender's 15 to 16 knot speed and the rest of the voyage

was considered safe.

On February 22, the Henry arrived at Fremantle, the port of Perth. Food and -water were replenished

on arrival, by the agent of the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company. Captain Olsen awaited orders until

February 26. He was then instructed to move to an anchorage about five miles off the port, where he

took station to continue fueling American naval vessels.

The Battle of the Java Sea began on February 27 and on the 28th Java was invaded. On March 9 the

Japanese occupied Bandoeng and Surabaya. General MacArthur arrived in Australia on March 17.

After the Battle of the Java Sea, the George G. Henry hastened to rig her hoses when an old friend

came alongside, the destroyer USS Alden, one of the four destroyers that survived the battle. The

others were the John D. Ford, veteran of three battles, the Paul Jones, veteran of two, and the John

D. Edwards, also a veteran of two battles.

Fueling at Fremantle.

These four destroyers were the only Allied warships

-Netherlands, British, and American-that returned from that brave and costly attack on superior enemy

forces. The Allied cruisers and destroyers that survived the main battle of February 27, including the

heavy cruiser USS Houston, were either lost in an action near Soenda Strait on March 1 or were never

heard from again.

In addition to the Alden, the destroyers fueled by the George G. Henry at Fremantle were the Barker,

Bulmer, and Parrott. She also fueled the destroyer tender Black Hawk.

Thus, by the end of March, there was less need for the Henry's fueling of American naval vessels. In

addition to the Houston and the Langley, five destroyers were gone-the Peary, Pope, Edsall, Pillsbury,

and Stewart.

The amazing Marblehead-"The ship that wouldn't sink"-seriously damaged in an encounter with Ja-

panese bombers, had been patched up in a floating dry-dock at Tjilatjap and had gone to the United

States for major repairs. The Boise, which struck an uncharted pinnacle-rock shortly before the

Battle of Makassar Strait, had also left the scene of action to repair her hull. She was, of course,

destined to return, to win great fame, and to survive much greater damage in victorious slugging

matches with stronger enemy forces in the Solomons.

The George G. Henry was soon to receive orders to go to Melbourne. When the Norwegian tanker

Nyholm arrived at Fremantle, the Henry took her cargo and was later relieved from duty by the Eriing

Brovig, which arrived March 23 with a cargo from Trincomalee. The Eriing Brovig was under charter

to the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company and had been sub chartered to the U. S. Government. She

had received a bomb hit on the way from Palembang to Batavia, but remained seaworthy and after

discharging cargo at Tandjong Priok and undergoing temporary repairs, sailed to India for the cargo

she took to Fremantle. Before the Henry left Fremantle she turned over hoses and fittings to the

Eriing Brovig.

On March 29, the George G. Henry sailed with an Australian naval escort for Melbourne, which was

then General MacArthur's headquarters and a new scene of activity. Her time for the voyage of 1,726

miles was 9 days, 23 hours, 7 minutes. Soon after her arrival, April 8, the veteran fueler of naval

vessels filled the bunkers of U. S. Army transports for their return voyages to the United States.

She first fueled the transport President Coolidge for the voyage on which the former luxury liner took

President Manuel Quezon of the Philippines to the United States. The Henry's officers saw General

MacArthur and his staff escort President Quezon and his party aboard the Coolidge.

Bunkered Liner President Coolidge.

A photograph showing the George G. Henry bunkering the President Coolidge at a pier was used in a

war bond campaign poster widely displayed in shop windows in the United States. The picture bore

no caption identifying the ships or indicating the locality, but the scene was recognized by Captain Logan.

"This press photograph," he said, "was taken from the Santa Paula, another transport, berthed on the

same side of the pier in the Yarrawonga at Melbourne. One of her guns can be seen in the foreground.

In the right background, the George G. Henry is fueling the Coolidge, shortly before President Quezon

came on board. On the other side of the pier is the transport Uruguay. The planes on the pier had just

been unloaded for General MacArthur's forces.

"Incidentally," Captain Logan remarked, "a member of the crew of the Henry was for a while in the

service of General MacArthur. Our Filipino Steward,

Macario Cadungog, was the General's 'house boy' while his headquarters were at Melbourne."

On April 15, 1942, exactly four months after leaving Manila, the George G. Henry was taken into the

naval service. Re-named USS Victoria and with a Navy crew on board, she was formally commission-

ed for her new career in the United States Navy.

The officers and crew of the George G. Henry, with two exceptions, were repatriated, returning to the

United States on the transport Uruguay. As Captain Olsen and Second Mate Lucas held commissions

in the Naval Reserve, they were retained on board by the Navy and assigned to active duty.

Captain Olsen, in an interview for this history on December 4, 1945, soon after he returned to Company

service, told how the George G. Henry was acquired by the Navy:

"My first Navy orders were from Rear Admiral (now Vice Admiral) H. F. Leary, USN. He placed me in

command of the George G. Henry with the rank of lieutenant commander and authorized me to take

her over under bareboat charter. On April 15 I assumed command and placed the vessel in commission.

She was soon afterward named the USS Victoria and designated 'AO 46.'

"The Navy crew of the Victoria were survivors of the USS Langley, USS Pecos, and USS Peary. They

joined us at Melbourne.

"I commanded the USS Victoria from April 15, 1942 to July 29, 1943 soon after I was promoted to com-

mander. Then I was detached from this duty and ordered to the United States to assist in supervising

the construction of two fleet oilers, the USS Ponaganset and the USS Tomahawk. Thereafter I returned

to sea duty and commanded the USS Marias (AO 57) until recently, when I went on terminal leave

ending December 1, 1945."

Commander Olsen received many messages and letters of commendation for the efficiency of the

USS Marias as a fleet oiler in and near the combat areas. Among the naval officers who sent messages

of congratulations were the captains of the cruisers USS Atlanta and USS San Francisco, the aircraft

carriers USS Cowpens and USS Essex, the battleships USS Massachusetts and USS Missouri, and

Rear Admiral Donald B. Beary, USN, Commander, Service Squadron 6, to which the USS Marias was

attached from March 6 to October 4, 1945.

The following citation was received from Admiral William F. Halsey, USN, Commander Third Fleet:

UNITED STATES PACIFIC FLEET FLAGSHIP OF THE COMMANDER THIRD FLEET

The Commander THIRD Fleet, United States Pacific Fleet, takes pleasure in commending COMMANDER

JENS G. OLSEN UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

"For outstanding service in the performance of his duties as Commanding Officer of a Fleet Oiler during

operations against the enemy in the area off OKINAWA and the JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS from 3 July

to 3 September 1945. Under his able leadership, his command, efficiently serviced all types of fleet units

at sea and thereby contributed materially to the ability of the fleet to remain at sea for an extended period

of continuous offensive operations. His demonstrated ingenuity and skill in the performance of his duties

were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

W. F. HALSEY Admiral, U. S. Navy Commendation Ribbon authorized.

Crew of the "George G. Henry"-Manila, December 15, 1941

Jens G. Olsen	Master
Simpson W. Logan	Ch. Mate
Vincent F. Lucas	2nd Mate
Edward S. Boudreaux	3rd Mate
Joseph E. Jacobs	Ch. Engr.
Petrus S. Jacobs	1st Asst.
Severino Jose	2nd Asst.
Harry Moller	3rd Asst.
Albert L. Brown	Radio Op.
Macario Cadungog	Steward.
Rufino Vidal	Ch. Cook
Galee Bogo	Bos'n
Lorenzo Erila	Pumpman
Sonny Jeanal	A.B.
Jan Rani	A.B.
Warren Andra	A.B.
Hamat Alii	A.B.
Chee Mohat	A.B.
John Dromo	A.B.
Ismail Muluk	O.S.
Alfred Lopez	O.S.
Benito Econde	O.S.
Santiago Clava	Oiler
Joaquin Arante	Oiler
Shelley Broad	Oiler
Dionicio Taclay	Stkpr.
Daniel Cabiroy	Fire.
Cariaceo Esoban	Fire.
Edward Dorai	Fire.
Rodolfo Rodriguez	Wiper
Mario Tagle	Wiper
Bernardo Solano	2nd Cook
Philip Leonard	O.M.
Alejandro Eusebio	C.M.
Anacleto Esver	P.O.M.
Dionicio Ortiz	U.M.