How Jack Pilgrim Met Death in Navy

PILGRIM

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 1/28/2016 at 14:45:13

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
1944

LETTER TELLS HOW JACK
PILGRIM MET DEATH IN NAVY

The following letter from Jack Pilgrim's commanding officer to Raymond Pilgrim of near Grinnell, tell details of Jack's death last Thursday in New York harbor:

U.S.S. Natchez (PF-2)
C/O Fleet Post Office
New York, New York
21 July 1944

Mr. Raymond S. Pilgrim
R.F.D. No. 4
Grinnell, Iowa

Dear Sir:

Nothing I may write or do will serve in any degree to assuage your sorrow in the loss of your son, Jack Eugene Pilgrim, motor machinist's mate third class, United States Naval Reserve, who has given to his country and to the service the greatest contribution a patriot may tender.

Your son had entered the after fireroom to light the boiler fires preparatory to getting underway. While so engaged, the main steam line from the forward fireroom ruptured, instantly filling the compartment with saturated steam of intense temperature. He succeeded in escaping from the compartment, but succumbed to his injuries six hours later.

Just as truly as if in combat on one of the far flung fronts of this global war, your son gave his life, fulfilling his duties faithfully and efficiently. His record was one of the very finest in the engineering Division of which he was a member. The circumstances were tragic to you and to all of us; but war is tragedy in its demands upon those who are called upon to make sacrifices in order that the nation and its precepts may continue to exemplify the plan of the founders of the Republic.

A large number of your son's shipmates attended a memorial service conducted this morning in the Base Chapel.

The officers and men of the USS NATCHEZ extend to you their sympathies.

Sincerely yours,
N.B. Bullared, Lt. Comdr., USNR
Commanding, USS NATCHEZ