Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
0679601	50k	Charles Nance Major, the son of William and Gertrude (Nance) Major, was born on 24 February 1915 in Richmond, Va. He was a graduate of John Marshall High School and the University of Richmond where he earned his B.S. in business administration. Before entering midshipman’s training school at Northwestern University, he was employed by the Retail Credit Company. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve on 01 August 1940. Following training in USS Arkansas (BB 33) and in Midshipman's School at Chicago, he was commissioned ensign on 14 March 1941. He served in USS Leary (DD 158) from April until December when he reported to Norfolk for duty in the 5th Naval District. On 09 February 1942 he reported to the Armed Guard Center at New York City for duty in SS R. P. Resor, a tanker owned by Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey. The tanker loaded a cargo of bulk crude oil at Houston, Tex.; and, while steaming for Fall River, Mass., blacked out on a zigzag course at 12.5 knots, she was torpedoed off Manasquan, N.J., by U‑578 late on 26 February. The torpedo struck on the port side just forward of amidships 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 eight officers, 33 crewmen and nine armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in gun) tried to abandon ship. One boat with about 30 occupants was launched successfully but was soon engulfed in flames, other men perished as they tried to swim through the oil. The burning tanker stayed afloat until the tug USS USS Sagamore (AT 20) attempted to salvage her. She capsized after the stern grounded in 122 feet of water and sank almost 48 hours after the torpedo hit about 31 miles east of Barnegat, New Jersey. All but two of the merchant crew and armed guard, including Ensign Major, died in the attack. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal. His body was never recovered and he is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing on the East Coast Memorial, Manhattan, New York. USS Major (DE 796) (1944-1948) was the first ship to be named in his honor. (Photo courtesy of the Virginia War Memorial Foundation)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE / FF / LCS Archive Manager
0679602	161k	undated wartime image		Jerry Church
0679603	148k	USS Major (DE 796) cutting water very early in the morning in the San Francisco Bay during WWII. (Photo courtesy of World War II Photography)		Bill Gonyo Downey, Cal. Assoc. Researcher Navsource
0679604	436k	undated: USS Major (DE 796). (U.S. Navy photo #L45-173.01.02 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
0679605	249k	undated postwar image: San Francisco, Cal. - USS Major (DE 796) as she prepares to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge.		Darryl Baker PNCM, USNR (ret.) Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum

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Additional Resources

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Tin Can Sailors
The U.S. Navy Memorial
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