1942 — March 10, US Tanker Gulftrade torpedoed by U-boat 3m off Barnegat Light, NJ–18

–18 American Merchant Marine at War. U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged on Eastcoast of U.S. …
–18 Berg. Wreck Valley Vol. II…Shipwrecks off Long Island’s South Shore and New Jersey. 1990, p.55.
–18 Helgason. “Ships hit by U-boats. Gulftrade, American Steam tanker.” Uboat.net.

Narrative Information

Helgason: “Ships hit by U-boats. Gulftrade, American Steam tanker.” Uboat.net.

“Type Steam tanker
“Tonnage 6,776 tons
“Completed 1920 – Sun Shipbuilding Co., Chester PA
“Owner Gulf Oil Co., New York
“Homeport Philadelphia
“Date of attack 10 Mar 1942
“Nationality American
“Fate Sunk by U-588 (Victor Vogel)
“Position 39° 50’N, 73° 52’W – Grid CA 5156
“Complement 34 (18 dead and 16 survivors).
“Route Port Arthur, Texas – New York
“Cargo 80,000 barrels of bunker C oil
….
“Notes on event: At 06.32 hours on 10 March 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Gulftrade (Master Torger Olsen) was torpedoed by U-588 3 miles off Barnegat Light. The tanker was spotted by the U-boat, because the running lights and the masthead light had been turned on to avoid collision with several colliers in the vicinity. A torpedo struck the starboard side just forward of the mainmast and just aft of the bridge. The explosion broke the ship in two, ripped up the decks and completely opened tanks #5, #6 and #7. Oil and debris was sprayed over the vessel from stem to stern and the ship caught fire immediately. Within one minute, the high seas washed over the tanker and extinguished the flames. The engines were stopped and the ship was abandoned by the crew of eight officers and 26 crewmen. The high seas and the fact that oil lay several inches deep all about the deck and had filled the boats complicated the abandoning. Seven survivors stayed on the stern and nine abandoned ship in a lifeboat. Two other boats with 18 men swamped, drowning the officer and 17 crewmen in them.

“USCGC Antietam (WPC 128) arrived and picked up the men in the lifeboat. While maneuvering to remove the men on the stern, her port propeller got fouled with a mooring line. The men were then rescued by USS Larch (AN 21). The survivors reported that the U-boat surfaced 5 minutes after the attack, circled the stern and departed 45 minutes later on a southerly course….”

Details on 21 of those onboard can be accessed at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1417.html

USMM.org: “03/10/42…Gulftrade…Tanker…Torpedo…Sunk…Eastcoast…Crew 18 [deaths].

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). 12-22-2010. Webpage accessed 4-11-2021 at: http://www.usmm.org/eastgulf.html

Berg, Daniel. Wreck Valley Vol. II: A Record of Shipwrecks off Long Island’s South Shore and New Jersey. Wahoo Edition. East Rockaway, NY: Aqua Explorers, Inc. 1990.

Helgason, Gudmundur. “Ships hit by U-boats. Gulftrade, American Steam tanker.” Uboat.net. Webpage accessed 4-11-2021 at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1417.html