Ships hit by U-boats


Lammot Du Pont

American Steam merchant



Lammot Du Pont under her former name San Francisco. US Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH102171

NameLammot Du Pont
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage5,102 tons
Completed1914 - North of Ireland Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Londonderry 
OwnerInternational Freighting Co Inc, New York 
HomeportWilmington 
Date of attack23 Apr 1942Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-125 (Ulrich Folkers)
Position27° 10'N, 57° 10'W - Grid DD 9589
Complement54 (19 dead and 35 survivors).
Convoy
RouteBuenos Aires - New York 
Cargo6812 tons of linseed 
History Completed in May 1914 as San Franciso for Isthmian SS Co Ltd, London. In June 1918 chartered by the US Navy, commissioned as transport USS Saint Francis (ID 1557) and used between England and France. In April 1919 returned to the owner under her former name. 1933 sold to USA and renamed Lammot Du Pont
Notes on event

At 20.53 hours on 23 April 1942 the unescorted Lammot Du Pont (Master Robert Cameron Housten) was hit by one torpedo from U-125 when steaming on a nonevasive course at 9.5 knots about 500 miles southeast of Bermuda. The torpedo struck on the port side between the #4 hatch and the engine room. The explosion blew the booms at the #4 and #5 hatches onto the deck and threw a large column of water and linseed in the air. The ship rapidly listed to port and within five minutes rolled completely on her side. The nine officers, 36 crewmen and nine armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and two .30cal guns) began to abandon ship in one lifeboat and three rafts. Six crew members went down with the ship and two left on a broken raft. The other survivors tried to reach these men in the heavy seas, but they drifted away and were never found.

Eight crew members and seven armed guards on two rafts were picked up after two days by the Swedish motor merchant Astri and were transferred on 8 May to USS Omaha (CL 4), which brought them to Recife, Brazil on 11 May. The 31 crew members and two armed guards in the lifeboat drifted for 23 days before being rescued by USS Tarbell (DD 142), after being spotted by an aircraft about 40 miles from San Juan, but seven crew members and one armed guards already died of fever and three other crew members later died in a San Juan hospital.

 
On boardWe have details of 37 people who were on board


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