James "Jim" William Harter was born August 24, 1920, the youngest child of Jessie Margaret Jernigan (1874-1954) and John Leonidas Harter (1872-1938). He enlisted in the US Navy on May 1, 1941 and was assigned to the destroyer DD-405 USS Rowan. The ship reported to the Mediterranean where they participated in the invasion of Africa, Sicily and Italy.
On September 9, 1943, Harter and his ship entered the Gulf of Salerno to protect the assault force landing at Paestum. On the night of September 10th, the ship was sailing back to Oran with the now empty transports. Just after midnight of September 11, 1943, the Rowan came under attack by three German E-Boats (similar to American PT-boats), but were able to fight them off during a half hour surface battle. Afterwards, she was returning to the convoy when she came under attack by a fourth E-Boat at 3,000 yards. As she turned to attack, the Rowan was struck amidships by an enemy torpedo that tore into her magazine. The explosion was tremendous causing the destroyer to roll over and sink in as much as forty seconds.
Her crew topside was thrown into the water, most likely saving what few survivors there were. All those below decks, including 1st Class machinist mate Jim Harter, went with her to the bottom. In all, there was only 71 survivors of the crew of 273 officers and enlisted men. In Milton, Harter's widowed mother and wife Noreen Creegan were notified that their son was now "missing in action." After waiting one year and a day, the US Navy sent a telegram to his family that he was now "officially dead."
Sadly, his body was never recovered, so the Harter family gathered to place a memorial stone in his honor in the Milton Cemetery. The young Milton sailor was survived by his widowed mother Jessie, his wife Noreen, and his siblings Margaret "Maggie" Cassandra, Mary Alice (Chavers), Sarah Leonidas "Leo" (Broxson), Winnie Ida (Broxson), and John Laurie Harter.
1st Class James William Harter memorial, Milton Cemetery
USS Rowan DD-405, sunk on September 11, 1943
with Milton's Jim Harter and 201 crewmen
Pensacola News Journal article of 10-8-1944
Jessie Margaret Jernigan Harter,
Jim Harter's mother (1874-1954)