A Christmas Eve tragedy kept secret: The story of the 1944 sinking of the SS Leopoldville

[Omaha Steve]

By Steve Liewer

Herman Lemke woke up with a feeling of dread that cold Christmas morning in 1944.

The farmer from Bruning, Nebraska, had just sent his second-oldest son off to World War II. Otis, 22, was in England with the 66th Infantry Division, ready to join the fight against the Nazis in France and Belgium.

Over Christmas breakfast, Herman told his wife and five younger children about his bad dream. “He dreamt he saw Otis at the foot of his bed. He had said ‘Goodbye, Dad,’ ” recalled Florence Hines, Otis’ sister, who was 17 at the time. “He didn’t laugh about it. He was very serious.”

Weeks later the family learned Otis had gone missing Christmas Eve night, lost at sea in the English Channel. Herman Lemke’s nightmare had come true.

FULL story at link: http://www.omaha.com/news/military/a-christmas-eve-tragedy-kept-secret-the-story-of-the/article_931e9ce5-0b1c-56e7-9f74-af0596d3cd05.html

[GentryDixon]

1. Nice story.

🎅