1942 — Apr 2, US freighter David H. Atwater shelled/sunk by U-boat off Chincoteague Isl., VA-23-24

–24 Helgason. Ships hit by U-boats. “David H. Atwater – American Steam merchant.”
–24 Kohn. “This Week in World War II: 75 Years Ago.” Amboy Guardian, NJ, 3-31-2017.
–23 American Merchant Marine at War. U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged on Eastcoast of U.S…
–22 Cressman/USN. The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. 1999, p. 175.

Blanchard note: Helgason notes the attack was at 3:40AM on April 3. The American Merchant Marine at War website notes the attack was on April 2, and Google-info.org further notes that the time that evening was about 9:00PM (21:00). Cannot find a newspaper account at the time which might clarify – there were three survivors and they were picked up by US naval vessels, thus there is a record of their accounts somewhere. Until we find information to the contrary, we choose to accept the evening of April 2, 1942 as the dating of the attack.

As to fatalities, we show sources noting a range of 22-24 deaths. In that Helgason, who writes there were twenty-four deaths, lists the names and positions of twenty-three of them, we are of the opinion that there were at least twenty-three deaths (which is also the number of deaths noted by the American Merchant Marine at war website). There might have been twenty-four deaths (as Helgason and Kohn note), though we have been unable to locate the name of a twenty-fourth victim. Thus our estimated death toll range of 23-24.

Narrative Information

American Merchant Marine at War:
“Date Ship Type Cause Result Location Deaths
“04/02/42 David H. Atwater Freighter Shelled Sunk Eastcoast Crew 23”

Cressman, USN: “Unarmed U.S. freighter David H. Atwater shelled by German submarine U552 east of Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia, 27⁰37N, 75⁰10w; destroyers Noa (DD-334 and Herbert (DD-160) are sent to the scene, but arrive too late to be of assistance. The sudden and savage nature of U-552’s attack leaves David H. Atwater’s crew little or no time to take to lifeboats. Of the 25-man complement, only three survive to be rescued by Coast Guard cutter Legare (WPC-144) and taken to Chincoteague Island Coast Guard station.” (p. 175.)

Helgason: “
“Name David H. Atwater
“Type Steam merchant
“Tonnage 2,438 tons
“Completed 1919 – Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ashtabula OH
“Owner Atwacoal Transportation Co., Fall River MA
“Homeport Fall River
“Date of attack 3 Apr 1942
“Nationality American
“Fate Sunk by U-552 (Erich Topp)
“Position 7° 57’N, 75° 10’W – Grid CA 5714
“Complement 27 (24 dead and 3 survivors.
“Route Lambert’s Point, Virginia – Norfolk – Fall River, Massachusetts
“Cargo 3911 tons of coal
….
“Notes on event At 03.40 hours on 3 April 1942 the unescorted and unarmed David H. Atwater (Master William Keith Webster) was attacked by U-552 about ten miles east of Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia. Topp had followed her underwater, surfaced and began to shell the vessel without warning. 93 shots were fired from 600 yards distance, hitting her with about 50 shots and set her on fire. USCGC Legare (WPC-144) observed the gunfire and headed for the ship, upon arrival at the scene 45 minutes after the attack, they saw the vessel sinking, leaving two feet of mast above water. The crew of eight officers and 19 men had been unable to leave the ship in lifeboats and most jumped overboard and drowned. All officers died and only three men who dove overboard and swam to an empty lifeboat survived the attack. The survivors and three bodies were picked up by the US Coast Guard vessel USCGC CG-218 and taken to Chincoteague Inlet.”

Note: u-boat.net has information on 25 of those on board at:
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1496.html

Those listed as killed during the attack are:

1. Cyril Benjamin Adamseck 49 Chief Mate
2. William Bevan 46 Chief Engineer North Westport, MA
3. Harold Hampton Brown, Jr. 23 Ordinary Seaman
4. William Cox 44 Fireman/Watertender
5. Nesbit Cummings 45 Fireman/Watertender
6. William Edward Fitzler 56 Third Assistant Engineer Fall River, MA
7. Albert Henry Fletcher 58 Second Mate Amityville, NY
8. Orville Eaton Green 21 Oiler
9. Albert Julius Halbig 42 Oiler Walker Springs, AL
10. Charles Holder 58 Fireman/Watertender
11. Mertilly Alphonso Hunte 58 Steward
12. Johan Emil Johanessen 64 Second Assistant Engineer Brooklyn, NY
13. Carl Paul Kramer 56 First Assistant Engineer
14. Frank Joseph LaCassee 27 Ordinary Seaman Hillsboro, NH
15. Joseph Albert Lussier 27 Able Seaman Central Falls, RI
16. Joseph Patrick Mann 44 Utilityman
17. Isaac Margolis 34 Radio Operator New York, NY
18. Herbert Mungin 34 Fireman/Watertender Savannah, GA
19. Franz Theodore Friedrich Robisch, 59. Third Mate New York, NY
20. Burton Rogers 40 Messman New York, NY
21. Emil Ernest Schuler 16 Ordinary Seaman Cranston, RI
22. Charles Henry Van Namee 43 Able Seaman Malden, MA
23. William Keith Webster 38 Master Providence, RI

Those listed as survivors are:

1. Ernest Cartwright Able Seaman
2. Sabino Luiz Gomez Fireman/Watertender Providence, RI

Kohn: “….The American coastal steamer SS David H. Atwater, fully loaded with 4,000 tons of coal, is attacked and sunk by gunfire from surfaced German sub U-552 off the Delmarva Peninsula. Only three of Atwater’s 27-man crew survive. The survivors’ testimony and evidence found on the scene by Coast Guard rescue vessels indicate that the German submarine deliberately machine-gunned surviving sailors in the water and in lifeboats and life rafts.”

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).

Cressman, Robert J. (Contemporary Hist. Branch, Naval Hist. Ctr.). The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Annapolis MD: Naval Institute Press, 1999. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialChronologyOfTheUSNavyInWorldWarII/mode/2up?q=

Google-info.org. “SS David H. Atwater.” Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://en.google-info.org/19806015/1/ss-david-h-atwater.html

Helgason, Gudmundur. Ships hit by U-boats. “David H. Atwater – American Steam merchant.” Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1496.html

Kohn, Phil. “This Week in World War II: 75 Years Ago.” Amboy Guardian, Perth Amboy, NJ, 3-31-2017. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: http://www.amboyguardian.com/2017/03/31/this-week-in-world-war-ii-75-years-ago-62/