The 337th Harbor Craft Company trained at Camp Gordon Johnston and were deployed to Europe. Although we are still piecing together their history, we do have the letters and photos of one soldier, Joseph L’Abbe, who describes the company taking command of the vessel Hungaria:
Joseph P. L’Abbe, (20 June 1920- 7 Jun 1987) was briefly assigned to the 341st Harbor Craft but shortly after transferred to the 337th Harbor Craft. He served in Europe, arriving at the Port of Cherbourg just days after D Day, and the unit arrived at the Danube River right as V-E was nigh. There, L’Abbe was put in charge of the crew (as POWs) of the yacht Hungarian, a gift from Hitler to the Regent of Hungary, Miklós Horthy. The yacht was flying the Nazi flag, which was changed out for an American flag, and the family still has this Nazi flag in their collection.
The Hungaria was renovated, moved to the Rhine River, and renamed the Mainz, where she remains in service to the German government today.
While with the Hungaria, L’Abbe befriended a Hungarian crew member named Julius Cserney. L’Abbe advised Cserney not to return to Hungary as it would be under Soviet control. Cserney emmigrated to New Zealand. 25 years later Cserney contacted L’Abbe, and they wrote to each other, catching up life and where they landed after the war.
