Ships hit by U-boats


Oregon

British Steam merchant


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NameOregon
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage6,008 tons
Completed1920 - Virginia Shipbuilding Corp, Alexandria VA 
OwnerSir James German & Co Ltd, Cardiff 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack10 Aug 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-438 (Rudolf Franzius)
Position57° 05'N, 22° 41'W - Grid AL 2912
Complement41 (2 dead and 39 survivors).
ConvoySC-94 (straggler)
RouteBaltimore - Sydney, CB (31 Jul) - Liverpool 
Cargo8107 tons of general cargo including foodstuffs and steel 
History Completed in July 1920 as Anna E. Morse for US Shipping Board (USSB). 1925 renamed Oakridge for the same owner. 1928 renamed Oregon for States SS Co, San Francisco CA. 1941 given to Britain for use by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 
Notes on event

At 12.20 hours on 10 August 1942, U-660 (Baur) fired a single torpedo, followed one minute later by a spread of two and then another single torpedo at convoy SC-94 south of Iceland from the starboard side. They heard a detonation after 47 seconds, two more after 1 minute 30 seconds and a fourth after another 50 seconds. At 12.21 hours, U-438 attacked convoy from the port side and observed a detonation after 2 minutes 30 seconds.
The Condylis was struck by a torpedo on both the port and the starboard side, so she must have been hit by both U-boats. The Oregon, Empire Reindeer and Cape Race were all hit on the starboard side and so must have been hit by U-660. The Oregon was damaged and fell behind convoy where she was finished off by U-438 later that day.

The abandoned and burning Oregon (Master Stanley Edmondson) was sunk by two coups de grâce at 15.47 and 16.29 hours after being spotted by U-438 at 13.48 hours. One crew member and one gunner were lost. The master, 29 crew members, five gunner and one passenger (DBS) were picked up by HMS Dianthus (K 95) (LtCdr C.E. Bridgman, RNR) and three crew members by HMS Nasturtium (K 107) (Lt C.D. Smith, DSC, RNR) and landed at Liverpool on 14 August.

 
On boardWe have details of 3 people who were on board

Attack entries for Oregon

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
10 Aug 1942U-660Oblt. Götz BaurDamaged6,008  
10 Aug 1942U-438Kptlt. Rudolf FranziusSunk6,008  


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