Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Awards: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Trade: Height: Complexion: Hair Colour: Eye Colour: Next of Kin: Date of Death: Age at Death: Memorial:

Percy Campbell Forsythe

Sources City of Atlanta - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary uboat.net City of Atlanta The United States Navy Memorial

Percy Campbell Forsythe (Forsyth) Messman US Merchant Navy SS City of Atlanta Mariners’s Medal Gallant Ship Citation Bar Merchant Marine Combat Bar Atlantic War Zone Merchant Navy Bar June 10, 1879 Yarmouth, NS Seaman/Cook 5 feet, 6 inches Black Black Dark Brown Samuel James Forsythe, Jacksonville, Florida (WWII) January 19, 1942 63 United States Navy Memorial Percy Forsythe (Forsyth) was an African Canadian born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. In 1898 he immigrated to the United States arriving in Boston. Mass., in May on the SS Boston from Yarmouth, NS. He resided in New York and on September 27, 1915 he married Lulu Bell Bachelor, born in Savannah, Georgia in 1893) In 1917 at the age of 38, he registered, as was required, for the United States Draft in the First World War. At that time he was living at 323 West 37 Street, New York and employed as a Pantryman with Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah, Pier 35 in New York. A daughter, Mildred, was born on December 8, 1924 in New York. In the years between WWI and WWII he was employed on various ships, including the SS Cristobal (1923) sailing between New York and Port au Prince, Haiti, and the Gypsum Prince (1931) from the Port of Windsor, Nova Scotia and New York. In 1927 the family lived at 2496 Eight Ave., New York. In 1941, Percy was a resident of Savannah, Georgia and living at 561 Indian St, Savannah. A Record of Intention dated July 19, 1941 (US Immigration and Naturalization Service) lists his occupation as Cook and marital status as a widower. His daughter, Mildred was also living in Savannah, Georgia. The SS City of Atlanta was owned by the Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah. In 1941, Percy Forsythe served as a Messman on the ship. In January 1942, the SS City of Atlanta departed New York heading to Savannah carrying almost 3,000 tons of cargo, mostly food, and a few passengers. On January 19, 1942 the SS City of Atlanta was hit by a torpedo from U-123 about twelve miles south of the Wimble Shoals Buoy and about eight or ten miles off the coast of North Carolina. The City of Atlanta was unescorted and unarmed. The ship sank within ten minutes with the loss of forty-four crew members, including Messman, Percy Forsythe. Only three of the crew survived the sinking. The sinking of City of Atlanta resulted in the largest loss of life among the ships torpedoed off North Carolina's coast during WWII. Percy Campbell Forsythe is listed on the United States Navy Memorial, Washington, US