Elmer V. Dockter

World War II
-
Fallen

County:
Burleigh

Date of Loss:

Branch of Service:
Navy

Rank:
Seaman 2nd Class

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent:
USS LST-387

Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
European African Middle Eastern Theater

Medals and Honors:

Circumstances:

At 21.31 hours on 22 Jun, 1943, U-593 fired a spread of four torpedoes at the convoy Elastic about eight miles northeast of Cape Corbelin and hit the USS LST-333 and USS LST-387 with one torpedo each. The first was beached and declared a total loss, while the latter was towed to Dellys and later repaired. The torpedoeing of these two ships hampers the training for the forthcoming invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky).

The USS LST-387 was towed to Dellys by the landing craft USS LCT-294 and USS LCT-431. The vessel was subsequently repaired and returned to service. The remains of 11Crewman of LST 387 were interred to this mass grave Keokuk National Cemetery Iowa.

Biography:

born Anamoose, NDak 27 Feb 24; resident Burleigh County, NDak; entered US Navy Fargo, NDak 26 Aug 42; served European African Middle Eastern Theater; KIA 22 Jun 43 North African Area, buried in Section D, Grave 188 and 189 in group burial at Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa.