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JOHN P. BREWSTER

             Cadet John P. Brewster died on May 26, 1942 on board the SS SYROS.  The German submarine U-703 torpedoed the freighter, SS SYROS, at 0100 GCT on May 26, 1942, in the Barents Sea (72-35 North/ 5-30 East) while en route from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Murmansk, Russia via Reykjavik, Iceland in convoy PQ-16.  She was carry explosives and had a crew of 37 and 2 navy signalmen.  Eleven crewmen were lost, including the captain.

            At 0100 GCT, a torpedo struck on the portside abreast of the stack.  A second struck near the bridge.  The ship exploded and broke in half.  With the bow and stern raised in the air, she sank within one minute.

            The ship sank so fast it was impossible to launch any boats.  The survivors jumped overboard and clung to floating wreckage.  The HMS HAZARD, a minesweeper, picked up thirty survivors.  Two of them died on board and were buried at sea.  The remaining 28 survivors were landed at Murmansk.