1942 — Apr 14, US freighter Margaret sunk by U-boat ~45 miles off Cape Hatteras, NC– 29

–29 American Merchant Marine at War. U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged on Eastcoast of U.S…
–29 Helgason. Ships hit by U-boats. “Margaret. – American Steam merchant.”

Narrative Information

American Merchant Marine at War:
“Date Ship Type Cause Result Location Deaths
“04/14/42 Margaret Freighter Torpedo Sunk Eastcoast Crew 29.”

Helgason/u-boat.net:
“Name Margaret
“Type Steam merchant
“Tonnage 3,352 tons
“Completed 1916 – Maryland Steel Co., Sparrow’s Point MD
“Owner A. H. Bull & Co., Inc., New York
“Homeport New York
“Date of attack 14 Apr 1942
“Nationality American
“Fate Sunk by U-571 (Helmut Mohlmann)
“Position 35° 15’N, 74° 38’W – Grid CA 8754
“Complement 29 (29 dead – no survivors)
“Route San Juan, Puerto Rico (8 April) – New York
“Cargo 4508 tons of sugar
“History ….
“Notes on event At 21.02 hours on 14 April 1942, U-571 fired one bow torpedo at the unescorted and unarmed Margaret (Master Leonard Logren Davis) about 45 miles east of Cape Hatteras and observed a hit aft after 42 seconds. They had spotted the steamer about three hours earlier on a northerly zigzag course. The torpedo detonation ripped open the hull to the upper deck and caused her to sink by the stern within five minutes after a boiler explosion. Some survivors were seen to leave the ship in a lifeboat and several rafts, but none of the eight officers and 21 crewmen were ever found.”

Note: u-boat.net has information on all twenty-nine men onboard, accessible at:
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1536.html

Sources

American Merchant Marine at War. U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged on Eastcoast of U.S, and Gulf of Mexico During World War II Eastcoast of U.S. (175 ships). Accessed 4-18-2021 at: http://www.usmm.org/eastgulf.html

Helgason, Gudmundur. Ships hit by U-boats. “Margaret – American Steam merchant.” Accessed 4-18-2021 at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1536.html