Ships hit by U-boats


Maltran

American Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of SSHSA Collection, University of Baltimore Library

NameMaltran
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage3,513 tons
Completed1920 - Merrill-Stevens Shipbuilding Corp, Jacksonville FL 
OwnerMarine Transport Lines Inc, New York 
HomeportWilmington 
Date of attack5 Jul 1943Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-759 (Rudolf Friedrich)
Position18° 11'N, 74° 57'W - Grid EC 1253
Complement47 (0 dead and 47 survivors).
ConvoyGTMO-134
RouteNew York - Guantanamo Bay (4 Jul) - Ponce, Puerto Rico 
Cargo3200 tons of general cargo 
History Completed in May 1920 as Pinellas for US Shipping Board (USSB) and renamed Carolinas in 1923. 1927 renamed Maltran for Marine Transport Lines Inc, New York. 
Notes on event

At 03.30 hours on 5 July 1943 the Maltran (Master Donovan Floyd Pierce) in convoy GTMO-134 was torpedoed by U-759 about 70 miles west of Port Salut, Haiti. One torpedo struck on the starboard side at the #2 hatch. The explosion blew the hatch cover off and threw portion of the cargo over the deck and into the sea. As the ship settled rapidly the engines were secured and she first listed to starboard but then settled on even keel. The armed guards fired one round to indicate the direction of the U-boat. As the water reached the forward deck after ten minutes, the eight officers, 27 crewmen and 12 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns) abandoned ship in two lifeboats and three rafts. The overboard discharge from the condenser swamped one of the boats. The ship sank by the stern 15 minutes after the torpedo hit. The survivors were picked up by USS SC-1279 about two and a half hours after the attack and taken to Guantanamo the same day.

 
On boardWe have details of 1 people who were on board


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