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GUNNER'S MATE THIRD CLASS WILLIAM FRANK BUCHANAN was born in 1919 to Edward and Mary Buchanan. In 1930 the Buchanan family lived at 14 Maple Avenue in Haddonfield NJ, where the elder Buchanan worked as a plumber. William Buchanan was the 5th child. In 1930 his oldest sister, Anna was working as a wrapper in a department store, and brother Edward was a plumber's helper. The family later moved a home on Kresson Road in neighboring Delaware Township NJ, now known as Cherry Hill. William Frank Buchanan entered the United States Navy early in the war. He completed his basic training in the spring of 1942 at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois. Gunner's Mate Third Class William Frank Buchanan was lost in action in the North Atlantic while serving as part of the Naval Armed Guard aboard the SS Louise Lykes, which was torpedoed by U-384 and sunk in the North Atlantic (56.14N/22.0W) on January 9, 1943, taking 50 of her crew, 24 of the Armed Guard, and 10 U.S. Army personnel with her. The Louise Lykes had sailed from New York, with her destination being Belfast, Northern Ireland. Initially declared as missing in action, William Frank Buchanan was promoted while missing to Gunner's Mate, Third Class prior to being declared dead by the Navy on January 12, 1944. The March 12, 1943 edition of the Camden Courier-Post noted that he had been listed as missing. He was survived by his mother, Mrs. Mary Buchanan of Kresson Road, Delaware Township NJ. Delaware Township is now known as Cherry Hill. |
