Ships hit by U-boats


Arkansan

American Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameArkansan
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage6,997 tons
Completed1921 - Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works, Shanghai 
OwnerAmerican-Hawaiian SS Co, New York 
HomeportNew York 
Date of attack16 Jun 1942Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-126 (Ernst Bauer)
Position12° 07'N, 62° 51'W - Grid ED 9412
Complement40 (4 dead and 36 survivors).
Convoy
RoutePort of Spain, Trinidad - New Orleans 
Cargo9000 tons of general cargo, mostly coffee 
History Completed in May 1921 as Celestial for US Shipping Board (USSB). 1922 renamed Margaret Dollar for Dollar Lines (R. Dollar Co), San Francisco. 1936 renamed Arkansan for American-Hawaiian SS Co, New York. 
Notes on event

At 02.30 hours on 16 June 1942 the unarmed and unescorted Arkansan (Master Paul R. Jones) had discontinued her zigzag course about 45 minutes before when the lookouts sighted a surfaced U-boat. The ship increased immediately the speed and turned away, but it was too late and within one minute two torpedoes from U-126 hit amidships. The explosions wrecked the radio antenna and the ship took an extreme port list. Most of the crew of ten officers, 28 men and two workaways abandoned ship in one lifeboat, despite of the fact that she was still moving at seven knots. The Arkansan sank after 20 minutes 70 miles west of Grenada. One officer and three crewmen could not be accounted for after the attack. The survivors were picked up later that day by the American store ship USS Pastores (AF 16) (Capt C.L. Andrews, USN) and were landed at Trinidad.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 5 people who were on board


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