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Captain Lucius Brunson, whom I used to see at the barber shop. He was in the merchant marine and I have heard him tell the following story. The State and The Sumter Daily Item published: • Capt. Lucius Loring Brunson, United States Merchant Marine engineer in the crew of the SS E. A. Bryan when it blew up in Port Chicago, California July 17, killing more than 300 persons, arrived in Columbia yesterday to visit relatives and friends here. Though a native of Sumter, Captain Brunson has lived in Columbia the last 10 years. • The E. A. Bryan was a ship of 10,000 tons, and about 8,000 tons of munitions in the ship’s hold exploded in the blast that took the lives of 119 of the ship’s complement and 206 stevedores at work along the pier, besides a number of others. • Capt. Brunson had left the ship momentarily on official business at the time of the explosions, and the concussion pitched him into a deep trench, knocking him unconscious. Firt listed as dead, he was found 24 hours later a patient at Camp Stoenman hospital. Captain Brunson is a veteran of World War I and engaged in three major battles of that conflict. In that war, he said last night, he had three ships “Shot out from under him.” The rules of war prevent his designating these, but he has seen much service in carrying munitions and food to American soldiers scattered about in the Pacific battlefronts. • “I can take it when they’re shot out from under me,” he said, “but when they blow up, that is something else.” Captain Brunson had brought his ship in from the Aleutians Jul 11. After a stop at Alameda, California, for minor repairs to the E. A. Bryan, he proceeded to Richmond, California, where they took on about 90 tons of fuel oil for his vessel. Then they went to Port Chicago, where at 14 minutes past 10 o’clock on the night of July 17 the ship was blown to smithereens with a cargo of 8,000 tons of munitions. • Seven persons from South Carolina were lost in the blast. One of the victims was J. J. “Josh” Gee of Columbia, South Carolina. • Capt. Brunson who is 51 said he could have stayed out of the services in this war, but that he felt it his duty to get in and do his bit. And he gets a lot of satisfaction in the knowledge he has delivered many cargoes of food to American soldiers on the islands where conveniences often are crude and their food supplies sometimes running low when his ship gets in. “And do the boys appreciate it!” he said. “I missed death by seconds in that explosion, but I’m glad I’ve been a part of this service. That blow up was a whole lot worse than the three torpedoing that came in our ships on other voyages.” The Harbor at Port Chicago was completely wrecked and damages at the time were estimate at $20,000,000. • Capt. Brunson’s mother, Mrs. Bessie Brunson, lives in Sumter, South Carolina. • There are many other stories on Lucius Brunson, but so far as we know, none are recorded. [2] |
1896 - 1965 (68 years)
