Meriwether Lewis
American Steam merchant
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| Name | Meriwether Lewis | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant (Liberty) | ||
| Tonnage | 7,176 tons | ||
| Completed | 1942 - Oregon Shipbuilding Co, Portland OR | ||
| Owner | American Mail Line Ltd, Seattle WA | ||
| Homeport | Portland | ||
| Date of attack | 2 Mar 1943 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-634 (Eberhard Dahlhaus) | ||
| Position | 62° 10'N, 28° 25'W - Grid AD 8264 | ||
| Complement | 75 (75 dead - no survivors) | ||
| Convoy | HX-227 (straggler) | ||
| Route | New York - UK - North Russia | ||
| Cargo | Ammunition and tires | ||
| History | Completed January 1942 | ||
| Notes on event | At 06.43 hours on 2 March 1943 U-634 fired a spread of four torpedoes at the unescorted Meriwether Lewis (Master John Edward Beal), a straggler from convoy HX-227, and hit her with one torpedo after eight minutes. The ship sank bow first following two coups de grâce at 07.52 and 09.05 hours, after a heavy detonation in the forward part of the ship when the cargo of ammunition blew up. Earlier the ship had been attacked and missed by U-759 (Friedrich), which then had troubles with the diesel engines and led the other U-boat to her target. The US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Ingham (WPG 35) searched the area for two days and only located a trail of automobile tires that stretched for 30 miles. All eight officers, 36 crewmen and 31 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) were lost. | ||
| On board | We have details of 75 people who were on board. | ||
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