There were rough seas and swells and some of the sailors died. About 3-4 hours later, the destroyer escort USS Edmonds picked Marusich and 399 others up.
Deaths from the Bismarck Sea were put at 318 and 620 survived.
Marusich received a Purple Heart and recovered at a hospital in Norman, Oklahoma, later becoming a teacher and principal before retiring in 1985.
Starting in 1988, the survivors of the Bismarck sea began holding reunions in Las Vegas. They are still having them although only 30 are still alive. Marusich plans to attend these as long as he can.
USS BISMARCK SEA CVE-95
Wikipedia did not mention the Bismarck Sea being a converted freighter, but did say it was originally launched in 1944 as the Alikula Bay before being transferred over to the Navy and commissioned May 20, 1944. It carried a crew of 923, 27 aircraft, and was 499 feet long.
On Feb. 21, 1945, two kamikaze hit the ship and it sank with a loss of 318 crew. Three destroyers and destroyer escorts rescued the survivors.
USS EDMONDS DE-406
Was commissioned April 3, 1944 and was screening escort carriers off Iwo Jima on Feb. 21, 1945. Thirty of her crew went over the side to rescue the Bismarck Sea survivors. It was recommissioned for service in the Korean War and scrapped in 1973.
The Greatest generation. --Cooter
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