Joseph Winn who lived in Chester County, later moved to Middletown, Delaware.  

He enlisted in the Merchant Marines, and was trained as a “wiper”.   A wiper is a junior crew member serving in the engine room, cleaning the engine room and assisting the enginemen.

Joseph was assigned to serve on the 11,000 ton tanker, SS Atlantic Sun, constructed at Sun Shipping in Philadelphia.

 

On March 16, 1942, the ship (pictured at left) was struck by a torpedo from the German U-boat 124 off the coast of Texas. After receiving temporary repairs, the ship managed to reach its destination of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania.

In February 1943, the Joseph’s ship was in Convoy ON-165 from Liverpool England to New York consisting of nearly 100 ships.  The Atlantic Sun experienced engine trouble, and was straggling behind the convoy, leaving little protection in the U-Boat infested waters. At about 10 a.m. the ship was struck by two torpedoes from U-607 about 150 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada (Cape Race).  The ship broke in two.  The after half of the ship remained afloat, and survivors returned to the ship from their lifeboats.  However, a third torpedo from U-607 sunk the remaining half of the ship. 

 

There was only one survivor. 
His account of the sinking, and that of other witnesses can be found here.

Joseph was Killed In Action on February 17, 1942.

 

Above: Artists depiction of the sinking of SS Atlantic Sun