Briefing Document: James Charles Fisher

Date: October 26, 2023

Subject: Summary of the life and wartime service of James Charles Fisher.

Sources: Excerpts from "Pasted Text"

Main Themes:

Early Life and Family: The document traces James Charles Fisher's early life, family background and upbringing in rural Texas.

World War II Service: The primary focus of the text is Fisher's service in the US Navy during World War II, specifically his assignment as an armed guard aboard the merchant ship SS El Lago.

Tragic Loss at Sea: The document details the events leading up to the sinking of the El Lago by a German U-boat, and Fisher's presumed death at sea.

Honoring the Missing: The document highlights Fisher's memorialization on the Tablets of the Missing.

Key Facts and Ideas:

Family and Origins:James Charles Fisher was born on October 23, 1923, in Brady, Texas.

His parents were Lois Mae Rogers and James Elmer Fisher.

He was one of six siblings.

His mother, Lois Mae Rogers, was quite young when she married. She was just 17.

Pre-War Life:Fisher’s family lived in Brady, Texas throughout the 1930s. He lived with his family in Brady, McCulloch County, Texas in 1930, 1935 and 1940 census records.

Enlistment:Fisher joined the US Navy on May 28, 1942, at the age of 18. He listed his parents in Brady, Texas as his next of kin.

Service on SS El Lago:Fisher was a Seaman Second Class Petty Officer (S2c) with service number 6166348.

He served as an armed guard aboard the merchant ship SS El Lago.

The El Lago's Final Voyage:The El Lago departed Reykjavik, Iceland, on October 5, 1942, as part of a small convoy. The crew consisted of 39 crew members, 14 armed guards, and 6 merchant seamen being repatriated.

The convoy encountered a severe storm, causing the El Lago to lose contact with the other ships.

On October 11, 1942, the El Lago was approximately 442 miles east-northeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

The ship was sighted and attacked by German U-boats, specifically U-615 and U-607.

The U-boat fired a spread of two torpedoes which broke the El Lago in two.

The after section sank immediately and the forward section soon after.

Loss of Life:The El Lago sank quickly.

"None of the lifeboats could be launched and the few survivors climbed on rafts, which had floated free."

The survivors on the rafts were never seen again.

The Norwegian master and the Dutch first engineer were taken prisoner by the U-boat.

Declaration of Death:Fisher and the other missing crewmen were declared dead on October 28, 1943, over a year after the sinking.

Memorialization:S2c Fisher is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial at Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England.

Quotes from Source:

"Seaman Second Class Petty Officer James C. Fisher 6166348 US Navy Reserve SS El Lago (merchant ship), he was aboard as an armed guard."

"None of the lifeboats could be launched and the few survivors climbed on rafts, which had floated free."

"The crewmen were listed as missing for over a year and declared dead on 28 October 1943."

"S2c Fisher is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial at Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England."

Conclusion:

The provided text offers a poignant glimpse into the short life of James Charles Fisher, a young man from rural Texas who answered the call to service during World War II. The document underscores the extreme dangers faced by sailors and merchant mariners during the war, and the tragic loss of life in the Atlantic. It also serves as a tribute to Fisher, commemorating his sacrifice on the Tablets of the Missing in England.