A true story of men and women pitted against the sea during World War
II--and an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human
spirit.
On May 19, 1942 a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty
miles away from New Orleans. Captained by 29-year-old Iron Cross and
King's Cross recipient Erich Wurdemann, the submarine set its sights on
the freighter Heredia with fifty-nine souls on board.
Most of the crew were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of
civilians, including the Downs family, consisting of the parents, Ray
Sr. and Ina, along with their two children, eight-year-old Ray Jr.,
nick-named "Sonny," and eleven-year-old Lucille.
Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no notice that two
torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, Ina and
Lucille became separated from Ray Sr. and Sonny.
An inspiring historical narrative, So Close to Home tells the story of
the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning,
and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly
attack off the American coast.