This page is about the life of;
Graham Potter Covert, Jr., Class of 1935.
It is a draft… a work in progress.
Graham was a fine student and start athlete at Sayville High. As did many of his era, Graham left school in his senior year to work. He chose work at sea, likely influenced by his father Graham Potter Covert, Sr., a tanker sea Captain.
Later, Graham served as a Third Mate on the S.S. R.P. Resor, U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.
He resided in Ronkonkoma, New York prior to the war.
S.S. R.P. Resor, which was unescorted, was enroute from Baytown, Texas to Fall River, Massachusetts with a cargo of 105,025 barrels of Bunker C fuel oil. They were hit by one torpedo fired by ” German U-578 ” about 20 miles east of Manasquan Inlet, New Jersey. The torpedo struck on the port side just forward of amidship and blew oil over the entire length of the ship and into the water. The oil ignited and flames rapidly spread 500 feet around the tanker as the 8 officers, 33 crewmen and 9 armed guards tried to abandon ship. The entire crew, except for one crewman and one armed guard, were lost.
Graham was declared “Missing In Action” in this sinking during the war.
He was posthumously awarded the Mariner’s Medal and the Combat Bar with a Star.
(Bio by: Russ Pickett )
