James B. Stephens
American Steam merchant
Name | James B. Stephens | ||
Type: | Steam merchant (Liberty) | ||
Tonnage | 7,176 tons | ||
Completed | 1942 - Oregon Shipbuilding Co, Portland OR | ||
Owner | US Lines Inc, New York | ||
Homeport | Portland | ||
Date of attack | 8 Mar 1943 | Nationality: American | |
Fate | Sunk by U-160 (Georg Lassen) | ||
Position | 28° 53'S, 33° 18'E - Grid KP 9174 | ||
Complement | 63 (1 dead and 62 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Port Said - Suez (18 Feb) - Durban - USA | ||
Cargo | 1086 tons of bottles, medicine, propellers and personal effects | ||
History | Completed October 1942 | ||
Notes on event | At 20.20 hours on 8 March 1943 the unescorted James B. Stephens (Master John Edward Green Jr.) was torpedoed by U-160 about 150 miles northeast of Durban, while steaming a nonevasive course at 11.5 knots. A torpedo struck one the port side between the #2 and #3 hatches. The explosion set the fuel oil in the double bottoms on fire and the ship settled rapidly by the bow. At 20.32 hours, a coup de grĂ¢ce was fired, which struck on the port side at the #4 hatch and broke the ship in two. Both sections remained afloat, but the ship burned until the following morning. An Allied warship sank the stern section by gunfire and a British warship tried to tow the fore section to Durban, but it sank under tow in heavy seas. | ||
On board | We have details of 8 people who were on board. |
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