Ships hit by U-boats


Delmundo

American Steam merchant



Courtesy of William F. Hultgren

NameDelmundo
Type:Steam merchant (Hog Island)
Tonnage5,032 tons
Completed1919 - American International Shipbuilding Corp, Hog Island PA 
OwnerMississippi Shipping Co Inc, New Orleans LA 
HomeportNew Orleans 
Date of attack13 Aug 1942Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-600 (Bernhard Zurmühlen)
Position19° 55'N, 73° 49'W - Grid DN 7663
Complement58 (8 dead and 50 survivors).
ConvoyTAW-12
RouteBuenos Aires - Trinidad - Key West - New York 
Cargo5437 tons of general cargo 
History Laid down as Clarcona, completed in December 1919 as Casey for US Shipping Board (USSB), Philadelphia. 1932 renamed Delmundo for Mississippi Shipping Co Inc, New Orleans LA. 
Notes on event

At 09.48 hours on 13 Aug 1942, U-600 fired three torpedoes at convoy TAW-12 about 18 miles south of Cape Maysi, Cuba which missed their targets but Zurmühlen thought that they hit some ships beyond after running times of 2 minutes 9 seconds and 2 minutes 15 seconds. The third torpedo hit the Everelza after another 58 seconds and she exploded in a 200 meters high column of fire. At 09.58 hours, U-600 fired the stern torpedo which struck the ship of convoy commodore, the Delmundo.

The Delmundo (Master Henry Peter Smith) was struck by one torpedo on the port side in the stern between the deep tank and the engine room. The blast extensively damaged the vessel and caused the boilers to explode. She sank in five minutes. The crew of nine officers, 32 men, nine armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and two .30cal guns) and eight passengers (including two women) abandoned ship in one lifeboat and two rafts, because two lifeboats were damaged by the explosion and another fouled while launching and capsized. One officer, three men and three passengers died. The survivors, among them they convoy commodore were picked up by HMS Churchill (I 45) (Cdr P.J. Fitzgerald, RN (retired)) about 90 minutes after the attack and were taken to the Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The master later died in a hospital from his wounds. After the attack convoy became very disorganized because the escort commodore was on the destroyer, which left with the survivors. No arrangements were made for someone else to take command of convoy.

 
On boardWe have details of 10 people who were on board


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