1918 — Oct 16, steamer Dumaru hit by lightning, burns, Pacific Ocean, ~20M off Guam– 18

–18 Naval History and Heritage Command. American Ship Casualties of the World War…1923.
–18 Newell, Cliff. “A bolt of death from the sky.” Lake Oswego Review, 8-1-2012.
–18 Oregon City Enterprise, OR. “Portland Men Lose Lives…Steamship Dumaru.” 11-1-1918, 7.
–18 U.S. Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the United States…1919, p. 449.

Narrative Information

Naval History and Heritage Command: “October 16, 1918, steamer Dumaru 3,019 gross tons, struck by lightning and sunk 20 miles off Guam. M.I., 18 lives lost.” (American Ship Casualties of the World War Including Naval Vessels, Merchant Ship, Sailing Vessels, and Fishing Craft; Errata to American Ship Casualties of the World War. 1923.)

US Bureau of Navigation: “St.s…Dumaru…3,010 [gross tonnage]…1918 [year built]…60 [onboard]…18 [lives lost]…burned…Oct. 16, 1918…22 miles off Guam.” (Fifty-First Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States…For the Year Ended June 30, 1919. 1920, p. 449.)

Newspaper

Oct 26: “By Associated Press. Washington, Oct. 26. – Five survivors from the steamship Dumaru, which wrecked in Pacific waters about October 16, have been picked up by an American vessel, said a message received by the Navy Department today from the naval station at Guam. The survivors included the ship’s master, second officer, a water tender, the second cook and a seaman. Their names were not reported. Two other lifeboats, one containing a man whose name was given in the report as W. Holmes, and other members of the crew left the steamer safely, but nothing has been heard from them.” (Associated Press. “Steamship Survivors Picked Up On Pacific.” (Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, OH. 10-27-1918, p. 3.)

Oct 28: “Portland, Ore., Oct. 29. – The Dumaru, a Portland built vessel, owned by the United States shipping board, was destroyed by fire while bound from Guam to Manila. A majority of the crew were Portland men. Other members of the crew came from Seattle and other Washington points.

“The Dumaru was destroyed October 16, when a deckload of gasoline was ignited by lighting. Some of the boats were rescued, but two of the lifeboats have not been located, according to Guam advices.” (Seattle Star, WA. “Seattle and Portland Men On Burned Vessel.” 10-2801918, p. 3.)

Oct 31: “Only three Portland men are known to have been among those saved when the Dumaru, built at the Grant Smith-Porter yards, went down recently while voyaging from Guam to Manila, according to unofficial advices received yesterday from San Francisco. Of the five survivors aboard the single lifeboat which has been picked up, the Portland men are reported to be Albert E. R. Staatz, second mate, 1169 Ivon street; Oscar R. Morris, seaman, 6422 Sixtieth avenue Southeast; and Claud Banfield, 630 East twelfth street.

“It is believed that numerous other Portland men who sailed with the Dumaru when it left this port, on August 17, have perished, as reports received indicate that a violent storm prevailed at the time the vessel was lost. Lightning struck a deck-cargo of gasoline, causing the destruction of the ship.” (Morning Oregonian. “Three Portland Men Lost. Further Advices Received on Sinking of Dumaru.” 10-31-1918, p. 6.)

Nov 1: “Eighteen Portland men perished in the destruction of the Grant Smith-Porter built ship Dumaru, which was struck by a bolt of lightning, igniting a deckload of gasoline, on her way from Guam to Manila. Information telegraphed from San Francisco says but one life boat was picked up, containing five persons, three of whom are Portlanders….The master of the ship, Ole Borisoz [Berrensen ], not however a Portlander, was saved.” (Oregon City Enterprise, OR. “Portland Men Lose Lives In Wreck Of Steamship Dumaru.” 11-1-1918, 7.)

Source

Associated Press. “Steamship Survivors Picked Up On Pacific.” (Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, OH. 10-27-1918, p. 3. Accessed 2-18-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-tribune-oct-27-1918-p-3/

Morning Oregonian. “Three Portland Men Lost. Further Advices Received on Sinking of Dumaru.” 10-31-1918, p. 6. Accessed 2-18-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/portland-morning-oregonian-oct-31-1918-p-6/

Newell, Cliff. “A bolt of death from the sky.” Lake Oswego Review, 8-1-2012. Accessed 2-17-2022 at: https://pamplinmedia.com/lor/48-news/113002-a-bolt-of-death-from-the-sky

Naval History and Heritage Command, U.S. Navy Department. American Ship Casualties of the World War Including Naval Vessels, Merchant Ship, Sailing Vessels, and Fishing Craft; Errata to American Ship Casualties of the World War. Washington: Government Printing Office, 4-1-1923. Accessed 2-18-2022 at: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/a/american-ship-casualties-world-war.html

Oregon City Enterprise, OR. “Portland Men Lose Lives In Wreck Of Steamship Dumaru.” 11-1-1918, 7. Accessed 2-18-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oregon-city-enterprise-nov-01-1918-p-7/

Seattle Star, WA. “Seattle and Portland Men On Burned Vessel.” 10-2801918, p. 3. Accessed 2-18-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/seattle-star-oct-28-1918-p-3/

United States Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce. Fifty-First Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States…For the Year Ended June 30, 1919. Wash.: GPO, 1920. Accessed 2-17-2022 at: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AMH/USMM/Annual_List/1919.pdf

Wikipedia. “SS Dumaru.” 1-8-2022 last edit. Accessed 2-18-2022 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Dumaru