DiscoverThe CRUX: True Survival StoriesTorpedoed: The Remarkable WWII Survival of Ray Downs and His Family | E121
Torpedoed: The Remarkable WWII Survival of Ray Downs and His Family | E121

Torpedoed: The Remarkable WWII Survival of Ray Downs and His Family | E121

Update: 2024-08-19
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In this episode of the Crux True Survival Story Podcast, hosts Julie Henningsen and Kaycee McIntosh delve into the remarkable WWII-era survival story of 8-year-old Ray Downs and his family. On May 19, 1942, aboard the merchant ship Heredia, the Downs family’s voyage from South America to New Orleans takes a devastating turn when their ship is struck by torpedoes from a German U-boat. The episode recounts young Ray’s vivid memories of the terrifying moments following the attack, the incredible ordeal the family faced floating for 18 hours at sea, and the miraculous series of events leading to the rescue and reunion of the entire family. By the end of their harrowing tale, listeners will be amazed by the resilience and ingenuity displayed by Ray and his family in the face of overwhelming odds.


00:00  Introduction to the Podcast


00:15  Setting the Scene: World War II Era


00:55  The Downs Family Background


01:53  Voyage on the Heredia


04:30  The Night of the Attack


09:10  Chaos and Survival


14:11  Adrift in the Open Ocean


14:47  A Father's Ingenious Distraction


16:55  A Miraculous Rescue


18:56  Reunion Against All Odds


23:20  Life After the Ordeal


26:38  Closing Remarks and Listener Engagement


Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com


Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/


Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/


More reading about this story: https://www.historynet.com/conversation-with-u-boat-survivor-ray-downs/

https://www.amazon.com/So-Close-Home-American-Survival/dp/1681774321

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Torpedoed: The Remarkable WWII Survival of Ray Downs and His Family | E121

Torpedoed: The Remarkable WWII Survival of Ray Downs and His Family | E121

Bleav + Kaycee McIntosh + Julie Henningsen