1941 — Dec 2, American tanker Astral sunk by U-boat off coast of Lisbon, Portugal –all 37

— all 37 Helgason, Gudmundur. Uboat.net. “Ships hit by U-boats…Astral. American…tanker”
— all 37 Kindell. British and Other Navies in World War 2…December 1941 (Part 1 of 2). 2012.

Narrative Information

Helgason/uboat.net: “Ships hit by U-boats…Astral. American Steam tanker”

Name Astral
Type Steam tanker
Tonnage 7,542 tons
Completed 1916 – Union Iron Works, San Francisco, CA
Owner Socony- Vacuum Oil Co Inc, New York
Homeport New York
Date of attack 2 Dec 1941
Nationality American
Sunk by U-43 (Wolfgang Lüth)
Position 35° 40’N, 24° 00’W – Grid CF 7588
Complement 37 (37 dead – no survivors)
Route Aruba – Lisbon, Portugal
Notes on event

“The neutrally marked Astral (Master Chris Alsager) was reported missing after 2 Dec 1941.

“At 17.00 hours on 1 December,U-575 (Heydemann) spotted the unescorted and unarmed tanker and tracked her until 20.57 hours. Then Heydemann noticed the painted American flag on the side and let her go. Also about 17.00 hours, U-43 spotted the tanker, followed her and missed with a first torpedo shot at 24.00 hours. The torpedo must have been seen by someone on the Astral, because she immediately began steaming a zigzag course at full speed to escape. The U-boat followed throughout the full moon night. At 09.24 hours on 2 December, the tanker was hit by two torpedoes, one in the stern and one amidships. The Astral exploded into flames and sank within minutes. The flaming cargo in the water burned for an hour longer. No survivors among the eight officers and 29 men on board.

“This was the third of the four American merchant ships sunk by U-boats prior to America´s entry to the war. The others were Robin Moor [no deaths], Lehigh [no deaths] and Sagadahoc [1 death, 34 survivors].”

[Additionally, the U.S. Navy destroyer Reuben James, while on escort duty, was sunk by a U-boat off Iceland on 10-31-1941 with a loss of life of 115 men.]

Uboat.net provides details on the thirty-seven people on board the Astral at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1212.html

Kindell: “Tuesday, 2 December
….
“U.43 sank American tanker Astral (7543 grt) in 35-50N. 24-00W. The entire crew of eight officers and twenty nine men were lost.”

Sources

Helgason, Gudmundur. Uboat.net. “Ships hit by U-boats…Astral. American Steam tanker.” Accessed 3-13-2021 at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1212.html

Kindell, Don. British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day: Naval Events, December
1941 (Part 1 of 2). Monday 1st – Sunday 14th. 8-4-2012 revision. Accessed 3-13-2021 at:
http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4112-39DEC01.htm