Published: May 25, 2008 01:41 am            

Cullman man’s heroic war story to be enshrined in Smithsonian

Cullman’s E.S. “Spud” Campbell, a former merchant marine in World War II, is among a handful of men having their story told as part of a new exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Campbell was on the SS Henry Bacon on Feb. 23, 1945, when it was attacked by German forces. At the time, the ship was carrying 19 Norwegian refugees.

“We were torpedoed by a German U-boat and our ship sank,” Campbell said. “So, I made it to the lifeboat with the Norwegians.”

While the boat sank, Campbell radioed for help, and he and the refugees were rescued three hours later.

Campbell and the refugees survived thanks to his efforts, but the rest of the group was not so lucky.

“We lost 26 of our crew,” Campbell said.

Fifty years later, Campbell was honored by the Norwegian government for his heroism and met the king and queen of Norway.

“Me and the king are good buddies now,” he joked.

Campbell’s U-boat encounter will be recorded and included as a multimedia element in the upcoming Smithsonian National Museum of American History exhibit called “On the Water: Stories from Maritime America.”

This new exhibit will showcase approximately 300 years of America’s maritime past and how it relates to the world today.

Division of Work and Industry Curator Paula Johnson came all the way from Washington, D.C., to Cullman to hear and record Campbell’s tale. Johnson spoke to the Cullman Kiwanis Club at the All Steak Restaurant early Monday afternoon about the exhibit and Campbell’s role in it.

“I’m so honored to have a chance to record Spud’s story,” she said. “His story marks an important point in American history.”

Johnson said that Campbell’s first-hand account is one of only a few being used in the World War II specific “Answering the Call” section of the exhibit.

The “On the Water” exhibit will encompass an 8,000-square-foot area at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History beginning in November, when the Washington, D.C. museum reopens from recent renovations.

Johnson said the exhibit will feature various types of artifacts and media including newsreel footage and radio addresses from World War II in an attempt to make the presentation more engaging.

“It’s not just going to be static displays and documents,” she said. “This exhibit is going to feature real people and their stories.”

Campbell’s story will have some very famous company in the museum. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is also home to artifacts such as Evel Knievel's Harley-Davidson XR-750, President Abraham Lincoln’s top hat he was wearing while assassinated, Thomas Jefferson’s desk he wrote the Declaration of Independence on, and the ruby slippers used in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.