Personal information

"Raymond" Holubowicz, the son of Polish immigrants and from the first graduating class of the US Merchant Marine academy in 1942, was the cadet officer on watch on the bridge of Syros when he spotted the wakes of the torpedoes and ordered helm over, but it was too late. He survived this sinking, the subsequent sinking of Hybert on the voyage back from North Russia and also the loss of J.L.M. Curry, which sank after her hull cracked due to structural failure on 7 Mar, 1943. He received a medal from the Soviets for his service on the Arctic convoys. More information can be found in the book Blue Seas, Red Stars: Soviet Military Medals to U.S. Sea Service Recipients in World War II written by David A. Schwind.