Ships hit by U-boats


Chung Cheng

Chinese Steam merchant



Chung Cheng under her former name Murat Halstead

NameChung Cheng
Type:Steam merchant (Liberty)
Tonnage7,176 tons
Completed1943 - Permanente Metals Corp, Richmond CA 
OwnerGovernment of China 
Homeport 
Date of attack3 Feb 1944Nationality:      Chinese
 
FateSunk by U-188 (Siegfried Lüdden)
Position13° 00'N, 54° 20'E - Grid MO 4456
Complement71 (20 dead and 51 survivors).
Convoy
RouteCalcutta - Chochin, India - Aden - USA 
Cargo8350 tons of ilmenite ore 
History Launched as American Murat Halstead, completed in September 1943 as Chinese Chung Cheng 
Notes on event

About 23.45 hours on 3 Feb 1944 the unescorted Chung Cheng was torpedoed by U-188. Due to her cargo of ore she sank so quickly that no lifeboat could be launched. On board were eleven American officers, four Chinese officers, 29 Chinese crewmen and 27 American armed guards. Twenty men, mostly Chinese crewmen were lost. The survivors were picked up after 12 hours by a British freighter and taken to a hospital in Aden.

 
On boardWe have details of 2 people who were on board


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