Andrew Jackson
American Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of William Hultgren
| Name | Andrew Jackson | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,990 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - Merchant Shipbuilding Corp, Harriman PA | ||
| Owner | Waterman Steamship Co, Mobile AL | ||
| Homeport | Mobile | ||
| Date of attack | 13 Jul 1942 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-84 (Horst Uphoff) | ||
| Position | 23° 32'N, 81° 02'W - Grid DM 5283 | ||
| Complement | 49 (3 dead and 46 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Cristobal - Key West, Florida | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Completed in July 1920 as Salaam for US Shipping Board (USSB) and later laid up as part of the reserve fleet. 1940 renamed Andrew Jackson for Waterman Steamship Co, Mobile AL. | ||
| Notes on event | At 04.08 hours on 13 July 1942 the unescorted Andrew Jackson (Master Frank Lewis Murdock) on a nonevasive course was attacked by U-84 with two torpedoes about 20 miles off Cardenas Light, Cuba. Only one of the torpedoes struck just aft of amidships. The blast killed three men on watch, destroyed the engines and vented through the deck above the engine room, collapsing portions of the stern. The eight officers, 30 crewmen and 11 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, four .50cal and two .30cal guns) abandoned the ship before a second torpedo struck, which sank the ship immediately. The survivors landed at Vavendaro on the north coast of Cuba in three lifeboats 12 hours after the attack. The master Frank Lewis Murdock was also in command of the Yaka, which was damaged by U-624 (Soden-Fraunhofen) in convoy ONS-144 and sunk by U-522 (Schneider) on 18 Nov 1942. | ||
| On board | We have details of 4 people who were on board. | ||
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