June 4, 1943
Left bay and worked way through ice to Bluie West One. Arrived about noon. Escabana tied up across dock and crew were working in shirt-sleeves. All interested in how things were in Boston as they were going back as escort to the Fairfax.
When I was writing the May 30th Diary page, I did not have the advantage of the next entries in front of me. On that day I learned about the Escabana and its fate at the bottom of the ocean [Link]. It chills me now to read that my Grandfather unknowingly was one of the last few people to speak with some of their crew. He had helped fill at least some of them with hope of what news came from Boston
Bluie West One was the code name for Narsarsuaq Air Base. Construction on the airfield began in July of 1941 and it consisted of a steel mat airfield.
Bluie West One
There is a wonderful article about the base on the Warbird Forum entitled ‘Remembering Bluie West One’ [Link] that all should read.
In 1943 and 1944, my Grandfather Merton Young traveled to Greenland while working for the Merritt-Chapman & Scott Company. He wrote a brief diary of his journey and this is a piece of that story.
Next Entry – June 5, 1943