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Newspapers in Education
“Taffy of Torpedo Junction”
Maps
Hatteras map
Outer Banks map
Photo pages
The outdoor drama, the Lost Colony, celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2007. To commemorate the event, the Outer Banks Sentinel developed the following pages of photos taken during that time. The Outer Banks Sentinel also produced a front page of key events from that time period.
Photo page one, National Park archives
Photo page one, National Park archives
News page
Photo references in Chapters
Study the photos to learn more about the look and feel of the Outer Banks and its history.
Chapter One
Banks ponies, wild horses, Mickey McCarthy, Outer Banks Sentinel archives
Sand path, National Park Service
Fishermen with net, Outer Banks History Center
Sailing ship, National Park Service In the 1940's, many fishermen used sailboats, although some were adding outboard motors. Some of the sailboats were outfitted with motors and became part of the Mosquito Fleet that took on the German U-boats.—Sandy Semans
Chapter Seven
Lighthouses
After the war, German commanders said that at night they used the beacons from the lighthouses to find silhouettes of vessels to target.
Hatteras Lighthouse, National Park Service
During WW II the lighthouse was located right next to the shore. The white blotches on the black stripes on the bottom of the lighthouse are because originally it was painted with a different pattern. When they painted the barber pole stripes, the original white bled through. --Sandy Semans
Hatteras Lighthouse, Keeper's House, National Park Service
Screwpile lighthouse, Outer Banks History Center
Screwpile lighthouses were used by the Coast Guard on the Pamlico Sound until the mid-1950s.—Sandy Semans
Old Christmas
Woman astride Old Buck, Outer Banks History Center
Old Buck, Outer Banks History Center
Woman with drum, "tapping a tattoo", Outer Banks History Center
Old Christmas could be explained by saying Julius Caesar slept here!
About four decades before Christ was born, Caesar developed the Julian calendar, basis of the Gregorian calendar now used around the world. The Julian was a vast improvement over other calendars, but there was a miscalculation in the number of leap years needed to coordinate the calendar with the seasons. In 1582, in an effort to correspond it with the seasons, Pope Gregory XIII dropped 10 days, changed leap year so that it didn't occur in each year ending in 00 and changed the beginning of the year to Jan. 1 from March 25. Catholic countries adopted the new version because the Pope's word was law. But in Britain, the Catholic Church no longer ruled so the change wasn't made there until 1752 when that country removed 11 days from the Julian calendar and hence forth adopted the full use of the Gregorian calendar. By dropping the 11 days, Christmas Day moved from Jan. 5 to Dec. 25. Most accepted the changed date but there were holdouts. On Hatteras Island, the Chicamacomico area -- now Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo -- held on to the old date and continued to celebrate it as Old Christmas. Over the years, it evolved so that the religious holiday was observed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 5 became a secular holiday. Old Christmas was celebrated with revelers going house to house for food and drink. Although it is unclear when it began, "Old Buck" became the mascot of the celebration. A bovine head was stuck on a pole and carried around during the merry-making. Old Buck's origin isn't known for certain but some think it may have been an African custom that came across the Atlantic Ocean with slaves and eventually was embraced by the local whites. Old Christmas is still celebrated in Rodanthe.
Chapter 8
Ciltvaira, sinking ship, National Archives
This photograph was taken January 19, 1942 as the torpedoed Ciltvaira was slowly sinking to join other ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic off the Outer Banks. For a story about the Ciltvaira, the first Latvian vessel to be sunk during World War II, see the section of the Web site, Websites, background on World War II.
Editor's note: Early in 2003, a reporter from Chas (The Hour), a Russian-language newspaper based in Riga, Latvia emailed this writer to ask for assistance in gathering information for a story he was researching. The information that followed that first communication guided this story down a path that was cluttered with past political agendas and misunderstandings but, in the end, opened up to show a moment in time when perseverance, courage and the thirst for freedom became the spine of a remarkable story.
BY SANDY SEMANS
SENTINEL STAFF
Jan. 19, 1942, a unique part of Latvia was sunk off of Nags Head when the freighter Ciltvaira was torpedoed by the German U-boat, U-123. The "Cilt" as it is referred to by divers, did not give up her seafaring days easily.
"She floated for two days after that," said Kevin Duffus, producer of the documentary titled "Torpedo Ally."
Duffus said that about six hours after being hit, the U.S. Navy tug Scieta arrived on the scene to lend aid to the ship. Placed under tow, an attempt was made to take the vessel in for repairs but after a valiant effort to save it, the decision was made to allow it to take its place among the thousands of other vessels that make up "the Graveyard of the Atlantic."
The freighter was the first Latvian vessel to be sunk during World War II. Five other Latvian-flagged vessels and hundreds of other ships eventually met the same fate at the hands of the Germans during the first several months of 1942. Although fires from ships were routinely lighting the night sky along the Outer Banks, the U.S. government denied that the waters off the nation's coast had become a killing field where the German submarines and U-boats roamed at will. Before the Germans were thwarted in their mission late in 1942, about 5,000 merchant crewmen and passengers were lost along the Eastern Seaboard, the Gulf of Mexico and the Carribean. Almost 400 ships were lost.
Outer Banks residents watched the fires burn as ship after ship was torpedoed before sinking to the bottom. The ships, silhouetted against the lights from shore, were easy pickings for the subs, Duffus reported in his documentary.
Bankers used their fishing boats to rescue crews, buried bodies that washed ashore and fed those who lived to sail another day.
The Cilt had left its home base in Latvia about two years before when the crew said their good byes and made plans for their return to their homeland. They didn't know that many, if not most, would never return. And they couldn't have imagined that the time would come when, although their national flag would continue to wave above the deck of the ship, their country mostly would exist only in their hearts for more than a half century.
Eight Latvian vessels -- including the Cilt -- were working in the Atlantic Ocean, primarily off North and South America, when the Soviets gained control of the country in 1940.
The Soviets ordered the ships to return to their home ports, but the captains and crews refused to recognize any orders that didn't come from their own country which now existed only as a "government in exile." The rebuff of the Soviet orders translated into a death sentence for those unwilling to return. Some crew members did go back to what had become an occupied country. But most steadfastly stayed with their vessels, flags and tenacious allegiance to their country.
The small fleet joined hundreds of other vessels that became part of the Allied effort even though they were from countries that were under German or Soviet occupation.
Kevin Foster, maritime historian for the Department of Interior, said that other occupied countries including Poland, Norway, Greece, Denmark and the Netherlands had ships operating on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Ships from most other countries were later recognized for their contributions to the Allied war efforts, but the Latvian vessels weren't. In fact, the fate of the fleet remained a mystery to many in Latvia during the five decades of Soviet occupation. They were an embarrassment to the Soviets who decided to simply erase their existence. Official history doesn't note the fact that Latvia played any role in the World War II. The only recognition of the fleet to be found in the U.S. and Latvia is a street in South Nags Head which is named after the Ciltvaira.
Many of the foreign-flagged vessels' crews became part of the U.S. Merchant Marines, hauling materials and men to and from the war in Europe. And while they were trying to help end the war, it was taking huge tolls on their countries.
As Latvian mariners were risking their lives in the Atlantic, friends, family and neighbors were being slaughtered. Soviet domination of the country briefly ended in 1942 when the Germans invaded. Later in the war, the Soviets regained control. During the occupations by both of the countries, Latvian citizens were drafted into the army by the controlling government. The Jewish community of approximately 90,000 were exterminated during the German occupation. Soviets weren't as selective -- they killed untold tens of thousands and became more feared than the Germans. When the Germans began retreating in 1944-45, many Latvians left with them, fearing the Soviets' brutality.
When victory in Europe was declared on May 8, 1945, thousands of Latvians were already living outside the country -- torn away from their homeland and other family members. Many became citizens of other countries, changed their names to fit into their new cultures and were left with only memories of their former lives.
The Soviets replenished the Latvian population with "settlers" whom they brought in from other Slavic republics.
For the next five decades, the stories of the Ciltvaira and its seven sister ships, the Everasma, Abgara, Everalda, Regent, Everelza, Kegums and the Everagra remained unfinished. In 2003, the decision-makers at Chas newspaper took on the enormous task of trying to reclaim at least a portion of the nation's history. Reporter Alex Kranitsky was tasked with finding out what happened to the fleet, if there were any survivors and, if so, where are they today.
Kranitsky's research led to a series of articles that have helped bring the paper's readership a step closer to knowing the facts, however, he is still searching for survivors.
On May 8, 2003, the Outer Banks Sentinel hosted a memorial service to recognize the contributions of the many foreign-flagged merchant vessels and their crews that served during WW II, particularly those of the Latvian fleet. A wreath was placed in the water, and the U.S. Coast Guard provided military honors. Simultaneously, Chas hosted a similar ceremony in the waters near Riga.
The public and WWII veterans were invited to the ceremony held on the beach at the end of Ciltvaira Street in South Nags Head. At the end of the ceremony, daisies, Latvia's national flower and also is a symbol of innocence and freedom, were cast into the waters of the Atlantic in memory of all those who have served their countries.
Since 2003, the ceremony has become a tradition in Riga and a memorial plaque now adorns the wall of the maritime museum there. And since that time, survivors and their families have been located in several countries including the US. But perhaps most importantly, there are now families in Latvia who, after several decades, finally know the fate of their loved ones, thanks to the determination of Alex Kranitsky and Chas to find and tell the facts of the story.
sandy@obsentinel.com
Chapter 13
Live Oak, National Park Service
Yaupon shed, Outer Banks History Center
A shed where yaupon was dried for tea.
Other photo
Windmill, Outer Banks History Center
Windmills were used widely on the banks to grind corn.
Note!
In the 1930s, the National Park Service studied the area along the Outer Banks and took photos. The work of the park service led to the establishment of the first national park, located on North Carolina's Outer Banks.
“Taffy of Torpedo Junction”
Maps
Hatteras map
Outer Banks map
Photo pages
The outdoor drama, the Lost Colony, celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2007. To commemorate the event, the Outer Banks Sentinel developed the following pages of photos taken during that time. The Outer Banks Sentinel also produced a front page of key events from that time period.
Photo page one, National Park archives
Photo page one, National Park archives
News page
Photo references in Chapters
Study the photos to learn more about the look and feel of the Outer Banks and its history.
Chapter One
Banks ponies, wild horses, Mickey McCarthy, Outer Banks Sentinel archives
Sand path, National Park Service
Fishermen with net, Outer Banks History Center
Sailing ship, National Park Service In the 1940's, many fishermen used sailboats, although some were adding outboard motors. Some of the sailboats were outfitted with motors and became part of the Mosquito Fleet that took on the German U-boats.—Sandy Semans
Chapter Seven
Lighthouses
After the war, German commanders said that at night they used the beacons from the lighthouses to find silhouettes of vessels to target.
Hatteras Lighthouse, National Park Service
During WW II the lighthouse was located right next to the shore. The white blotches on the black stripes on the bottom of the lighthouse are because originally it was painted with a different pattern. When they painted the barber pole stripes, the original white bled through. --Sandy Semans
Hatteras Lighthouse, Keeper's House, National Park Service
Screwpile lighthouse, Outer Banks History Center
Screwpile lighthouses were used by the Coast Guard on the Pamlico Sound until the mid-1950s.—Sandy Semans
Old Christmas
Woman astride Old Buck, Outer Banks History Center
Old Buck, Outer Banks History Center
Woman with drum, "tapping a tattoo", Outer Banks History Center
Old Christmas could be explained by saying Julius Caesar slept here!
About four decades before Christ was born, Caesar developed the Julian calendar, basis of the Gregorian calendar now used around the world. The Julian was a vast improvement over other calendars, but there was a miscalculation in the number of leap years needed to coordinate the calendar with the seasons. In 1582, in an effort to correspond it with the seasons, Pope Gregory XIII dropped 10 days, changed leap year so that it didn't occur in each year ending in 00 and changed the beginning of the year to Jan. 1 from March 25. Catholic countries adopted the new version because the Pope's word was law. But in Britain, the Catholic Church no longer ruled so the change wasn't made there until 1752 when that country removed 11 days from the Julian calendar and hence forth adopted the full use of the Gregorian calendar. By dropping the 11 days, Christmas Day moved from Jan. 5 to Dec. 25. Most accepted the changed date but there were holdouts. On Hatteras Island, the Chicamacomico area -- now Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo -- held on to the old date and continued to celebrate it as Old Christmas. Over the years, it evolved so that the religious holiday was observed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 5 became a secular holiday. Old Christmas was celebrated with revelers going house to house for food and drink. Although it is unclear when it began, "Old Buck" became the mascot of the celebration. A bovine head was stuck on a pole and carried around during the merry-making. Old Buck's origin isn't known for certain but some think it may have been an African custom that came across the Atlantic Ocean with slaves and eventually was embraced by the local whites. Old Christmas is still celebrated in Rodanthe.
Chapter 8
Ciltvaira, sinking ship, National Archives
This photograph was taken January 19, 1942 as the torpedoed Ciltvaira was slowly sinking to join other ships in the Graveyard of the Atlantic off the Outer Banks. For a story about the Ciltvaira, the first Latvian vessel to be sunk during World War II, see the section of the Web site, Websites, background on World War II.
Editor's note: Early in 2003, a reporter from Chas (The Hour), a Russian-language newspaper based in Riga, Latvia emailed this writer to ask for assistance in gathering information for a story he was researching. The information that followed that first communication guided this story down a path that was cluttered with past political agendas and misunderstandings but, in the end, opened up to show a moment in time when perseverance, courage and the thirst for freedom became the spine of a remarkable story.
BY SANDY SEMANS
SENTINEL STAFF
Jan. 19, 1942, a unique part of Latvia was sunk off of Nags Head when the freighter Ciltvaira was torpedoed by the German U-boat, U-123. The "Cilt" as it is referred to by divers, did not give up her seafaring days easily.
"She floated for two days after that," said Kevin Duffus, producer of the documentary titled "Torpedo Ally."
Duffus said that about six hours after being hit, the U.S. Navy tug Scieta arrived on the scene to lend aid to the ship. Placed under tow, an attempt was made to take the vessel in for repairs but after a valiant effort to save it, the decision was made to allow it to take its place among the thousands of other vessels that make up "the Graveyard of the Atlantic."
The freighter was the first Latvian vessel to be sunk during World War II. Five other Latvian-flagged vessels and hundreds of other ships eventually met the same fate at the hands of the Germans during the first several months of 1942. Although fires from ships were routinely lighting the night sky along the Outer Banks, the U.S. government denied that the waters off the nation's coast had become a killing field where the German submarines and U-boats roamed at will. Before the Germans were thwarted in their mission late in 1942, about 5,000 merchant crewmen and passengers were lost along the Eastern Seaboard, the Gulf of Mexico and the Carribean. Almost 400 ships were lost.
Outer Banks residents watched the fires burn as ship after ship was torpedoed before sinking to the bottom. The ships, silhouetted against the lights from shore, were easy pickings for the subs, Duffus reported in his documentary.
Bankers used their fishing boats to rescue crews, buried bodies that washed ashore and fed those who lived to sail another day.
The Cilt had left its home base in Latvia about two years before when the crew said their good byes and made plans for their return to their homeland. They didn't know that many, if not most, would never return. And they couldn't have imagined that the time would come when, although their national flag would continue to wave above the deck of the ship, their country mostly would exist only in their hearts for more than a half century.
Eight Latvian vessels -- including the Cilt -- were working in the Atlantic Ocean, primarily off North and South America, when the Soviets gained control of the country in 1940.
The Soviets ordered the ships to return to their home ports, but the captains and crews refused to recognize any orders that didn't come from their own country which now existed only as a "government in exile." The rebuff of the Soviet orders translated into a death sentence for those unwilling to return. Some crew members did go back to what had become an occupied country. But most steadfastly stayed with their vessels, flags and tenacious allegiance to their country.
The small fleet joined hundreds of other vessels that became part of the Allied effort even though they were from countries that were under German or Soviet occupation.
Kevin Foster, maritime historian for the Department of Interior, said that other occupied countries including Poland, Norway, Greece, Denmark and the Netherlands had ships operating on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Ships from most other countries were later recognized for their contributions to the Allied war efforts, but the Latvian vessels weren't. In fact, the fate of the fleet remained a mystery to many in Latvia during the five decades of Soviet occupation. They were an embarrassment to the Soviets who decided to simply erase their existence. Official history doesn't note the fact that Latvia played any role in the World War II. The only recognition of the fleet to be found in the U.S. and Latvia is a street in South Nags Head which is named after the Ciltvaira.
Many of the foreign-flagged vessels' crews became part of the U.S. Merchant Marines, hauling materials and men to and from the war in Europe. And while they were trying to help end the war, it was taking huge tolls on their countries.
As Latvian mariners were risking their lives in the Atlantic, friends, family and neighbors were being slaughtered. Soviet domination of the country briefly ended in 1942 when the Germans invaded. Later in the war, the Soviets regained control. During the occupations by both of the countries, Latvian citizens were drafted into the army by the controlling government. The Jewish community of approximately 90,000 were exterminated during the German occupation. Soviets weren't as selective -- they killed untold tens of thousands and became more feared than the Germans. When the Germans began retreating in 1944-45, many Latvians left with them, fearing the Soviets' brutality.
When victory in Europe was declared on May 8, 1945, thousands of Latvians were already living outside the country -- torn away from their homeland and other family members. Many became citizens of other countries, changed their names to fit into their new cultures and were left with only memories of their former lives.
The Soviets replenished the Latvian population with "settlers" whom they brought in from other Slavic republics.
For the next five decades, the stories of the Ciltvaira and its seven sister ships, the Everasma, Abgara, Everalda, Regent, Everelza, Kegums and the Everagra remained unfinished. In 2003, the decision-makers at Chas newspaper took on the enormous task of trying to reclaim at least a portion of the nation's history. Reporter Alex Kranitsky was tasked with finding out what happened to the fleet, if there were any survivors and, if so, where are they today.
Kranitsky's research led to a series of articles that have helped bring the paper's readership a step closer to knowing the facts, however, he is still searching for survivors.
On May 8, 2003, the Outer Banks Sentinel hosted a memorial service to recognize the contributions of the many foreign-flagged merchant vessels and their crews that served during WW II, particularly those of the Latvian fleet. A wreath was placed in the water, and the U.S. Coast Guard provided military honors. Simultaneously, Chas hosted a similar ceremony in the waters near Riga.
The public and WWII veterans were invited to the ceremony held on the beach at the end of Ciltvaira Street in South Nags Head. At the end of the ceremony, daisies, Latvia's national flower and also is a symbol of innocence and freedom, were cast into the waters of the Atlantic in memory of all those who have served their countries.
Since 2003, the ceremony has become a tradition in Riga and a memorial plaque now adorns the wall of the maritime museum there. And since that time, survivors and their families have been located in several countries including the US. But perhaps most importantly, there are now families in Latvia who, after several decades, finally know the fate of their loved ones, thanks to the determination of Alex Kranitsky and Chas to find and tell the facts of the story.
sandy@obsentinel.com
Chapter 13
Live Oak, National Park Service
Yaupon shed, Outer Banks History Center
A shed where yaupon was dried for tea.
Other photo
Windmill, Outer Banks History Center
Windmills were used widely on the banks to grind corn.
Note!
In the 1930s, the National Park Service studied the area along the Outer Banks and took photos. The work of the park service led to the establishment of the first national park, located on North Carolina's Outer Banks.
