Survivor of WWII torpedo attack that killed hundreds to visit monument for first time

SS Leopoldsville monument in Titusville, Florida

Steve Negrey

A World War II veteran who survived a torpedo attack that sunk his troop ship will finally visit a memorial in Titusville, Florida that recognizes the tragic event.

On Christmas Eve 1944, Private First Class Steve Negrey was aboard the SS Leopoldsville in the English Channel with about 2,000 other soldiers who were to be reinforcements for the Battle of the Bulge.

Many would never made it. Just off the coast of France,  a German U-Boat struck the Leopoldsville in the English Channel, killing 783 members of the 66th infantry division. 

Negrey was rescued, continued into combat and was later wounded, receiving the Purple Heart. 

In 1991, a circular memorial park was dedicated on the Titusville riverfront as a tribute to the members of the U.S. armed forces with monuments for 10 major conflicts from the the Revolutionary War to the first Gulf War.

In 2005, a monument dedicated to the American soldiers who lost their lives on the Leopoldsville was added to Veteran's Park, which is at the east end of Broad Street adjacent to Space View Park. The monument also names six Floridians who died in the attack.

The 94-year-old Negrey had heard about the Leopoldsville monument and spent years searching for its location. This weekend, with the help of book author Mark Cubbedge, the WWII vet will finally see the monument. 

At 11 a.m. Saturday, April 25, there will be a ceremony at Veteran's Park to honor Negrey and pay tribute to those who lost their lives. The public is invited to attend.

Click here for directions to Veteran's Park beside Space View Park on the Indian River in Titusville.

For more information, go to the Faces of Freedom page on Facebook