❖ JENSEN BUILT VERDUN ❖ 1919

Lettering template
donated by Sherm Thompson's son, Cliff.

Frank Jensen
Of all the Jensen-built boats, Frank's favorite is the one built
for his own use, the VERDUN.
When historian David Richardson interviewed Frank in 1960,
 he had made four or five trips to AK with her and
 had sailed her all through the San Juan Islands many times.
When she was home, Frank kept VERDUN
anchored in the bay off Turn Point.
Original photo from the archives of the S.P.H.S.©

VERDUN

ON 217946
Owner: Islander Sherman Thompson 
on board for this photo, Deer Harbor, WA.

Photo by professional photographer Jacobson
Original photo from the archives of the S.P.H.S.©

Built by Frank Jensen for launching in the spring of 1919, she was off and away to fish in Southeastern Alaska. Captain Joe and his brother Frank put in time trolling for salmon, home by mid August 1919. The Journal newspaper didn't report how they did fishing. 

Master Carpenter Certificate
VERDUN
Purchased from the National Archives, PNW, Seattle.
Copy from the S.P.H.S.

1934, September. 
Nourdine Jensen, in command of his uncle's VERDUN, returned from a cruising trip of approximately 200 miles in BC waters. Along for the adventure were Donald Mullis, Launor Carter, Bob Buck, Eddie and Jake Dyuff and Crayton Smoots. They encountered rough weather in the gulf but did not report on the sport fishing.

1946, February.
Well known Orcas boat, William Norton's VERDUN, suffered an explosion heard over the waterway in Bellingham. The watchman aboard the VERDUN came flying out of a cloud of smoke and flame to land on the fantail. 
Crew from the freight/mail boat OSAGE ran to the VERDUN with what fire fighting equipment they could carry and by the time the city fire department arrived had the flames extinguished. The injuries to the watchman were not thought to be severe but the boat was badly damaged.

Soon after the above accident, Sherm Thompson bought the VERDUN to use for a boom boat, a cannery tender, and for setting concrete anchors in the local reefnet fishery. See the photos below.
Sherm's son Cliff lost track of the boat after she was damaged in the Columbus Day Storm in 1962. Have you seen her?

Sherman Thompson,
life long resident of Deer Harbor, WA.
aboard his Friday Harbor built VERDUN
c. mid to late 1940s.
Photo courtesy of his son Cliff.

VERDUN and her crew.
L-R: "Mississippi"
Billy Kelton
Cliff Thompson
Sherman Thompson
Courtesy of Cliff Thompson.