1942 — Dec 31, Maiden Creek sinks, Atlantic storm, ~47M off southeast Long Island, NY-20

–20 American Merchant Marine at War. Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged…
–20 Nash. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters… 1977, p. 702.
–20 New Jersey Scuba Diving. “Maiden Creek.” Webpage accessed 5-18-2021.

Narrative Information

American Merchant Marine at War. Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged…
“Date Ship Type Cause Result Location Deaths
“12/31/42 Maiden Creek Hog Islander Foundered Sunk Eastcoast Crew 20.”

Casetext.com. “Crist v. United States War Shipping Admin.” Circuit Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 1947:
“Opinion No. 9145.AA
“Argued January 23, 1947.
“Decided June 26, 1947.

“Appeal from the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; George A. Welsh, Judge.

“Action in admiralty by Marie M. Crist, administratrix of the estate of Theodore W. Ellse, deceased, against the United States of America War Shipping Administration to recover war risk insurance for the death of libelant’s son. From an adverse judgment, 64 F. Supp. 934, defendant appeals.

“Reversed and remanded with instructions….

“Appellee brought an action in admiralty to recover war risk insurance for the death of her son, Theodore W. Ellse, a member of the crew of the S.S. “Maiden Creek,” a vessel documented under the laws of the United States.

“The deceased seaman was employed by the Waterman Steamship Corporation. The latter purchased from the War Shipping Administration Insurance Division a policy insuring the crew of the “Maiden Creek” against loss of life, bodily injury, etc., “directly occasioned by capture, seizure, destruction by men of war, piracy, takings at sea, arrests, restraints and detainments and other warlike operations, * * * and acts of kings, princes and peoples in prosecution of hostilities. * * *” ….

“As to the facts:

“….The “Maiden Creek” left Halifax in convoy on December 27, 1942, bound for New York. It was at that time “down by the head.” The third day out of Halifax the convoy ran into a gale and the “Maiden Creek” had difficulty maintaining her speed and position and became unable to keep up with the convoy. Since the vessel was “falling behind all the time” and was “going down by the head,” the Master decided to leave the convoy. Thereafter, the Captain decided on his own volition to change course so he would have the benefit of running with the seas in the attempt to run up the coast of Long Island and in the hope of being able to get into Long Island Sound.

“At the time the vessel changed course — about 11 o’clock A.M. December 31, 1942 — it was five to eight miles astern of the convoy. Immediately following the change of course the speed of the “Maiden Creek” came up to 10 knots an hour; the seas were heavy, the weather “real bad.” About 2 o’clock the Master gave instructions to the radio operator to prepare a coded message to the Coast Guard Station on Long Island describing the vessel’s difficulties, giving its course, speed, position, and asking for help. The message was sent at 3 o’clock.

“A plain language SOS was sent out shortly before 5 o’clock and the S.S. “Exhibitor” arrived at the scene almost immediately. It came virtually alongside the “Maiden Creek” and advised her by blinker signal that she was prepared to take off her crew. At the time, some members of the crew of the “Maiden Creek,” equipped with life preservers, were standing by the lifeboats; other crew members were on the bridge. The lifeboats “were all in their chocks” where they were usually carried, but they were not readied for use.

“The “Exhibitor” inquired of the “Maiden Creek” by blinker signal if she wanted to abandon ship and received conflicting replies. The “Exhibitor” then pumped oil overboard to smooth the seas so as to facilitate abandoning operations.

“However, the “Maiden Creek” kept going at the rate of four or five knots an hour and the “Exhibitor” “couldn’t figure out what they were trying to do.” The “Exhibitor” then signaled the “Maiden Creek” if they were going to abandon they would have to abandon before dark.” Subsequently the “Maiden Creek” sent out a message cancelling its SOS. That was about 5:24. About a half hour later the “Exhibitor,” after circling around twice, and seeing no evidence of any attempt or intention on the part of the distressed ship to abandon, left the scene. It did not signal the distressed ship that it was going to do so. At the time the “Exhibitor” left the “Maiden Creek” the latter was proceeding toward Block Island about 100 miles away at about four or five knots an hour. As the “Exhibitor” was steaming away she received a message from the “Maiden Creek” asking her to leave an oil slick to Block Island. She did not do so.

“After the “Exhibitor” sailed away — she was then about three or four miles off and the sun was about on the horizon — the Master of the “Maiden Creek” gave orders to abandon. The seacocks were smashed to let the water in so that the vessel would sink and would not be a hazard to navigation. About five minutes later two lifeboats were lowered, 25 men in one and 31 in the other. The boat with Ellse was lost, the other lifeboat was subsequently rescued. The vessel itself sank a number of hours later.

“Connolly, the radio operator of the “Maiden Creek,” supplied the details as to what occurred after the “Exhibitor” sailed away. He stated that before the crew took to the lifeboats he called the Master’s attention to the fact that the “Exhibitor” was leaving but that the Master “said no,” that she was “just circling around.” Connolly suggested that he go back to the radio room and send a new SOS but that the Master refused to give him permission to do so.

“Connolly made the further statement that after the SOS was cancelled and prior to the departure of the “Exhibitor”, the Master of the “Maiden Creek” had stated that he “was going to let some of the crew members leave the ship and that he wanted to keep as many of the men as were willing to stay and attempt to run the ship into the Coast,” and that he asked him to stay. He said that prior to the cancellation of the SOS an “abandon ship” order had been given by the Master, but that it was subsequently rescinded and the crew went back to quarters….

“The Master of the “Exhibitor,” Elbert C. Wilson, in his deposition, testified that he sailed away from the “Maiden Creek” because he had come to the conclusion that she was not going to abandon. He gave as his reasons for that conclusion the fact that the “Maiden Creek” had maintained her speed at all times and the usual practice was not to do so in an abandoning action; the “Maiden Creek” cancelled her SOS; it was getting dark and the crew of the “Maiden Creek” had made no apparent attempt to abandon ship; the “Maiden Creek” asked for an oil slick to Block Island; before leaving he received no communication from the “Maiden Creek” after she cancelled her SOS; and “we were never advised she was being abandoned.” Wilson also testified that he “refused to stay around after dark” because of submarines and that he had so advised the “Maiden Creek” when he first arrived….

“The testimony of Connolly, the radio operator of the “Maiden Creek” as to what transpired on his vessel from the time of the arrival of the “Exhibitor” until its departure, discloses that those aboard the “Exhibitor” were fully justified in concluding that the “Maiden Creek” did not intend to abandon and intended to attempt to make port….”

Nash. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters… 1977, p. 702:
“1942….Dec 31…Maiden Creek…20 [deaths]
“The 5,731-ton American steamship, built in 1919, foundered in the Atlantic on a voyage to New York.”

New Jersey Scuba Diving. “Maiden Creek.” Webpage accessed 5-18-2021:
“Type freighter
“Built: 1919, Hog Island PA USA
“Specs: (390 x 54 ft) 5031 gross tons, 51 crew
“Sunk: Thursday December 31, 1942…foundered in a storm – 20 casualties
“Depth: 225 ft

NOAA, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Office of Response and Restoration:
“Executive Summary: Maiden Creek
“The freighter Maiden Creek, foundered during a storm off the coast of Long Island in 1942, was identified as posing potential pollution threat, thus a screening-level risk assessment was conducted…” [p. 1, which shows a topographical map indicating the approximate location of the Maiden Creek about 47 miles south of eastern Long Island]

“Section 1: Vessel Background Information…
“Official Name: Maiden Creek ….Vessel Type: Freighter
“Vessel Class: 5,500 gross ton Hog Island Freighter
“Former Names: Sebewaing
“Year Built: 1919…. Flag: American Owner at Loss: Waterman S.S. Corp.
“Length: 390 feet Beam: 54 feet Depth: 27 feet
“….Hull Material: Steel….Powered by: Oil-fired steam
“Bunker Type Heavy fuel oil (Bunker C)
“….“Port Departed: Botwood Harbor, Newfoundland, Canada
“Destination Port: New York
“….Date Lost: December 31, 1942
“….Cause of sinking Storm
“….Nautical Miles to Shore: 47
“….Cargo Carried when Lost: Copper and lead…” [p. 3.]

Williams, Greg H. The Liberty Ships of World War II. 2014, p 133.
“…the Waterman freighter Maiden Creek foundered off Long Island on December 31, 1942…”

Sources

American Merchant Marine at War. Chronological List of Ships Sunk or Damaged July to December 1942. Accessed 5-18-2021 at: http://www.usmm.org/sunk42b.html#anchor340736

Casetext.com. “Crist v. United States War Shipping Admin.” Circuit Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 1947. Accessed 5-18-2021 at: https://casetext.com/case/crist-v-united-states-war-shipping-admin

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

New Jersey Scuba Diving. “Maiden Creek.” Webpage accessed 5-18-2021 at: https://njscuba.net/?s=maiden+creek

NOAA, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Office of Response and Restoration. Screening Level Risk Assessment Package – Maiden Creek. NOAA, March 2013. Accessed 5-18-2021 at: https://nmssanctuaries.blob.core.windows.net/sanctuaries-prod/media/archive/protect/ppw/pdfs/maiden_creek.pdf

Williams, Greg H. The Liberty Ships of World War II. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., Inc., 2014. Accessed 5-18-2021 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=A5oWBAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true