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EUGENE W. WALTERS

Cadet Eugene W. Walters was a deck cadet from the United States Merchant Marine Academy who served aboard a liberty ship during World War II.  His assignment was the Steam Ship Louise Lykes, a 439-foot freighter out of New Orleans, Louisiana.  The ship had a 6155 gross ton capacity, and transported war supplies from the United States to Europe during World War II.  The Louise Lykes had left port in New York City and was crossing the North Atlantic, en route to Belfast, Ireland when she came under attack on January 9^th, 1943.  She engaged in battle with a German submarine, and put forth a terrific effort in her attempt to sink the sub.  At 1837, the German submarine U-384 (von Rosenberg-Gruszczynski) launched torpedoes at the Louise Lykes, puncturing her hull.  The ship exploded and sank, killing all 84 people aboard, which included 50 merchant mariners, 24 Navy Armed Guards, and 10 Army personnel.  Cadet Walters was among the casualties.