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St.
Lawrence residents attending the premier of the
documentary ‘Dead Reckoning’ in St. John’s with
Lanier Phillips included (from left) Don Turpin,
Rene Molloy (who assisted then Priest Fr. Thorne
in the last rites ceremony in 1942), Mr. Phillips
and one of the rescuers Levi Pike. Photo Submitted |
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Lanier Phillips offered an incredible first hand account
of his survival of the February 1942 U.S. Naval marine
tragedy near St. Lawrence.
The ‘USS Truxtun’ sank after striking rocks in a blinding
snowstorm off Chamber Cove, with most of the sailors
drowning.
Mr. Phillips related his story, as he done many times
before, this time Mar. 31 at ‘The Rooms’ building in St.
John’s. He was the only African-American to survive the
tragedy. Two others stayed on the ship and perished.
He described his upbringing in the racially divided
southern United States. At 18, he enlisted in the U.S.
Navy and was attached to the Truxtun on her fateful voyage
to Argentia.
It was an experience that night which changed his whole
life.
Mr. Phillips, now 83 and suffering with cancer for 10
years, said he experienced something he never expected –
"humanity from a town of white strangers.
"I will never forget what the people of St. Lawrence did
for me, which changed my life for ever."
In the audience were many of his friends from St.
Lawrence, some of whom had taken part in the rescue of the
U.S. sailors in 1942.
The audience was also present to watch the premiere of the
movie ‘Dead Reckoning’, the story of the tragedy as
narrated by Mr. Phillips and the late St. Lawrence
historian Ena Farrell-Edwards.
The movie received a standing ovation from those present.
Mr. Phillips remarked "I was delighted and overcome with
the response of the showing and to answer questions from
many of the people in the audience."
The movie had been in the making by a U.S. company, Plain
Sight Productions, for three years with Mr. Phillips as
the main resource for historical information. Plans call
for the presentation to be shown in movie theatres around
the world in 2007.
St. Lawrence Mayor Wayde Rowsell was present to introduce
Mr. Phillips noting "it takes courage to stand up and be
counted, but it takes more courage to keep standing after
you have been counted."
He noted Mr. Phillips was an acclaimed spokesperson for
Black History Awareness Month and the International Day
for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
" … a great-grandchild of slaves and a champion of human
rights and racial equality, impervious to disdain and
partiality; one who conquered his enemies through
friendship, truly a man of prominence."
Mr. Rowsell
touched briefly on Mr. Phillips’ ability to rise above
discrimination in the U.S. Navy to become the first
African American to achieve the rank of ‘Sonar
Technician’. He retired after more than a 20 year
naval career to enter private life as a ‘technical
specialist in Oceanography’.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands
in moments of comfort, but where he stands in moments
of challenge and controversy. This could very well be
Lanier’s motto – what better inheritance to leave
future generations than a legacy that perpetuates
human dignity, human rights, liberty and justice."
Grand Bank MHA Judy Foote called the premiere a
memorable event for all who attended.
"Everyone you talked to found it to be a very
emotional story about Lanier Phillips and the tragedy
that occurred in St. Lawrence. I guess the good news
that he was among the 46 survivors when the ship went
aground there, people were amazed at the kind of
impact it had on Lanier Phillips and how much he had
become an ambassador for Newfoundland and Labrador,
and especially the community and people of St.
Lawrence."
Mrs. Foote recognized the documentary would attract
attention as a full-fledged film and the interest it
would generate across the world.
"I think it’s because of the story of humanity, about
love and about caring and how one individual was so
touched by the love and concern of a whole community." |
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