I’m always touched by stories of heroism and humanity that reinforce the unbreakable bond between our two countries. This past weekend, members of my staff from the Embassy and the Consulate in Halifax traveled to St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) to attend ceremonies to commemorate the events of a fateful day 70 years ago.

On February 18, 1942 the USS Truxtun and the USS Pollux were sailing to the U.S. Naval base in Argentia, NL when they were overcome by a “once in a generation” winter storm in the North Atlantic. Both ships were forced aground on the rocky shores of the Burin Peninsula in NL and quickly began to tear apart, leaving the crew with two daunting options — either jump into the freezing, oil filled waters or cling on to the fated ships.

Chamber's Cove, where the USS Truxtun went aground in 1942.

For 203 heroic U.S. sailors, the story did not have a happy ending. Overcome by the unforgiving conditions and frigid waters, these brave sailors perished in the waters near the town of St. Lawrence and Lawn. I will forever be grateful for the ultimate sacrifice they made to their country on that fateful day.

One hundred eighty-six other U.S. sailors were spared the tragic fate of their friends and shipmates thanks to the quick response of the people of St. Lawrence and Lawn. When the townspeople heard of the grounded ships, they ran to the sites and began to rescue the sailors, despite the obvious risks it posed to their own safety. For several hours, teams of volunteers sacrificed their own lives to save the lives of these servicemen.

Lanier Phillips, an African-American sailor from Georgia, was on the ship that day and took a leap of faith into the frigid waters to save his life. What happened next is the stuff of legends. As an African-American man in the 1940s, Mr. Phillips had good reason to worry about the reception he might receive if he survived the swim to the shores. Instead, the people of St. Lawrence and Lawn treated and cared for him no differently than his white shipmates. When a woman tried to clean the black off his skin thinking it was oil, Mr. Phillips told her he was African-American and the color wasn’t coming off. Unfazed, the woman continued to care for him. Mr. Phillips, who grew up in the segregated south, said, “This was the first time a white person had ever done or said anything kind to him.”

Mr. Phillips was forever changed by what happened that day seventy years ago. Now 88-years-old, he returned to St. Lawrence this weekend to express his gratitude and tell his story of how the experience had a profound impact on his beliefs about himself and others. The experience marked a turning point in his life and prompted him to pursue new goals for himself in a way he never thought was possible before. With the help of Congressman Charles Diggs, the first African American Congressman from Michigan, Mr. Phillips attended sonar school and, later, had the great opportunity to meet and march with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Remembering the Newfoundlanders' heroism in the face of disaster.

The events this weekend commemorated the tragedy of the USS Truxton and the USS Pollux and paid tribute to the many heroes — both American and Canadian — whose paths crossed that historic day in February 1942. I am proud that my staff was able to participate in the ceremonies this weekend to both pay respects to the fallen heroes of this tragedy and pay tribute to the people of St. Lawrence and Lawn who came to the rescue of our American servicemen. To all of these heroes, I salute you.