Jones Caldwell Hine was born in Boone, North Carolina, the son of Thomas Hampton Hine and Mary Eliza Greer.
He served on Merchant Ship William Hooper.
The USS William Hooper was an American Liberty Ship of 7,177 tons built in 1942 by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, Wilmingon, North Carolina. On the 4th July 1942 when on route from Philadelphia & Reykjavik for Archangel carrying 8,486 tons of military stores when she was torpedoed by German submarine U-334 and sunk by gunfire. The ship had earlier been torpedoed by a German HE-111 aircraft from II./KG.26 and abandoned (three men died).The survivors were rescued by the British rescue ships Rathlin and Zamalek. Attempted scuttling by British escorts failed.
The Johnson City Chronicle, 13 September 1942
Jones Caldwell Hine, son of T.H. Hine of 109 West Holston avenue, was reported missing in action this week, while on duty with the United States Navy somewhere in the Atlantic, the Navy Department advised members of the family. R.T. Hine, brother of the missing man, received the message which stated the sailor was “missing and presumably lost following action on duty and in service of his country.” The Navy Department also said further information would be sent by the Coast Guard as soon as it was received. Seaman Hine had been with the Merchant Marines for the past three years and the message this week was the first information the family had received that he was with the Coast Guard. A sister-in-law, Mrs. R.T. Hine, said yesterday the family had not heard from the missing man since April 1 with the exception of a post card, which said he was “having a fine time.” The message sent this week to the family was received on Hine’s birthday. He was 32 years of age. Besides the brother and father, he also has an aunt, Miss Mattie Hine, living in Johnson City.
The Johnson City Chronicle, 13 September 1942
Jones Caldwell Hine, son of T.H. Hine of 109 West Holston avenue, was reported missing in action this week, while on duty with the United States Navy somewhere in the Atlantic, the Navy Department advised members of the family. R.T. Hine, brother of the missing man, received the message which stated the sailor was “missing and presumably lost following action on duty and in service of his country.” The Navy Department also said further information would be sent by the Coast Guard as soon as it was received. Seaman Hine had been with the Merchant Marines for the past three years and the message this week was the first information the family had received that he was with the Coast Guard. A sister-in-law, Mrs. R.T. Hine, said yesterday the family had not heard from the missing man since April 1 with the exception of a post card, which said he was “having a fine time.” The message sent this week to the family was received on Hine’s birthday. He was 32 years of age. Besides the brother and father, he also has an aunt, Miss Mattie Hine, living in Johnson City.
- Rank: Fireman/Wiper
- Date of birth: 8 September 1910
- Date of death: 4 July 1942
- County: Washington
- Hometown: Johnson City
- Service Branch: Merchant Marines
- Division/Assignment: Merchant Ship William Hooper
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: At sea
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XIX, Bottom Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Jones C. Hine
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