1942 — Jan 18, US merchant steamer Frances Salman sunk by U-boat, off Cape Race, Nfld.–all 28

–All 28 Helgason, Gudmundur. Uboat.net. “Ships hit by U-boats. Frances Salman. American…”
–All 28 war2war. SS Frances Salman.

Narrative Information

Helgason/uboat.net: “Ships hit by U-boats. Frances Salman. American Steam merchant.”

Name Frances Salman
Type Steam merchant
Tonnage 2,609 tons
Completed 1919 – McDougall-Duluth Shipbuilding Co., Duluth MN
Owner Canadian Gulf Lines Inc., Houston TX
Homeport Houston
Date of attack 18 Jan 1942
Nationality American
Fate Sunk by U-552 (Erich Topp)
Position 46° 33’N, 53° 05’W – Grid BB 6679
Complement 28 (28 dead – no survivors)
Route St. John’s Newfoundland (17 Jan) – Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Cargo Ballast
Notes on event

“At 06.44 hours on 18 January 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Frances Salman (Master Rasmus Wathne) was hit by one G7e torpedo from U-552

Kindell: “U.552 sank American steamer Frances Salman (2609grt) off Newfoundland. The steamer had departed St John’s on the 17th for Corner Brook, Newfoundland, but never arrived. about 7 miles south of Cape Race, after being missed by four torpedoes in four unsuccessful attacks. The ship attempted to escape and several distress signals were sent, but were not heard by Allied stations. The torpedo, fired from about 500 yards, struck the ship aft and caused her to sink by the stern within ten minutes in rough seas. The bow remained above the water for about 25 minutes before disappearing. Some of the eight officers and 20 crewmen managed to launch a lifeboat, but due to the state of the seas, none of the men in the boat survived.”

Uboat.net provides information of the twenty-eight men on board at:
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1263.html

war2war: Notes that the Frances Salman was the first American merchant ship to be sunk by a submarine after the U.S. entered World War II.

Sources

Helgason, Gudmundur. Uboat.net. “Ships hit by U-boats. Frances Salman. American Steam merchant.” Accessed 3-14-2021 at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1263.html

Kindell, Don. British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day: Naval Events, January 1942 (Part 2 of 2…Thursday 15th – Saturday 31st. 8-4-2012 revision. Accessed 3-14-2021 at: http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4201-41JAN02.htm

war2war. SS Frances Salman. Accessed 3-14-2021 at: https://war2war.wordpress.com/2019/03/11/ss-frances-salman/