Near Vero Beach in Indian River County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

World War II Crew from Torpedoed Ship Rescuced

Photographed By Daniel F. Culbert, April 26, 2024

1. World War II Crew from Torpedoed Ship Rescuced Marker

Inscription.
On the night of May 5, 1942, eight miles off this coast, German submarine U-333 attacked the US tanker Java Arrow, killing two of her crew.

Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers Kit Johnson, Ottie Roach, Harry McDonald, and Ward Lockwood of Vero Beach picked up 22 survivors in their thirty-foot fishing boat and took them to the Fort Pierce Coast Guard station. The overloaded boat, the Kitsis, almost sank entering the inlet. That same night U-333 torpedoed two other ships, the Amazone and the Halsey off Fort Pierce.

Erected 2002 by Indian River County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Patriots & Patriotism • War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is May 5, 1942.

Location. 27° 33.687′ N, 80° 19.385′ W. Marker is near Vero Beach, Florida, in Indian River County. Marker can be reached from Charles A. Mitchell Memorial Highway (Florida Route A1A) 5� miles south of 17th Street (Florida Road 656), on the left when traveling south. The marker stands on the beach access foot-bridge in Round Island Beachfront Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2200 South A1A, Vero Beach FL 32963, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this

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marker, measured as the crow flies. Fallen Veterans Flag Pole (approx. 2.8 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.8 miles away); US-1 Tee-Beam Bridge in Indian River County (approx. 2.9 miles away); Historic Hallstrom Farmstead (approx. 3.2 miles away); WW II Training Area (approx. 4.7 miles away); SOC-R Special Operations Craft-Riverine (approx. 4.7 miles away); Mk V Special Operations Craft [SOC] (approx. 4.7 miles away); The Button (approx. 4.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vero Beach.

Also see . . . Son writes book about father's heroism off Vero Beach coast in World War II. Story about Different Battles: The Search for a World War II Hero by Rody Johnson. (Treasure Coast Newspapers, 11/29/16) (Submitted on May 1, 2024.)

Marker is on footbridge to the beach. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Daniel F. Culbert

2. Marker is on footbridge to the beach.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2024, by Daniel F. Culbert of Vero Beach / Indian River County, Florida. This page has been viewed 36 times since then. Last updated on May 1, 2024, by Daniel F. Culbert of Vero Beach / Indian River County, Florida. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 30, 2024, by Daniel F. Culbert of Vero Beach / Indian River County, Florida. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.