1942 — Apr 5, US tanker Byron D. Benson sunk by U-boat 7.5M off Currituck Inlet, NC- 10

–10 American Merchant Marine at War. U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged on Eastcoast of U.S…
–10 Helgason. Ships hit by U-boats. “Byron D. Benson – American Steam merchant.”
–10 Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA. Byron D. Benson. Accessed 4-17-2021.

Narrative Information

American Merchant Marine at War:
“Date Ship Type Cause Result Location Deaths
“04/04/1942 Byron D. Benson Tanker Torpedo Sunk Eastcoast Crew 10.”

Helgason/u-boat.net:
“Name Byron D. Benson
“Type Steam tanker
“Tonnage 7,953 tons
“Completed 1922 – O. Daniels Shipbuilding Co., Tampa FL
“Owner Tide Water Associated Oil Co., New York
“Homeport Wilmington
“Date of attack 5 Apr 1942
“Nationality American
“Fate Sunk by U-552 (Erich Topp)
“Position 36° 08’N, 75° 32’W – Grid CA 7652
“Complement 37 (10 dead and 27 survivors).
“Route Port Arthur, Texas – Bayonne, New Jersey
“Cargo 91,500 barrels of crude oil
….
“Notes on event The unarmed Byron D. Benson formed a small convoy with the American steam tanker Gulf of Mexico (7807 grt), the USS Hamilton (DMS 18) and HMS Norwich City (FY 229).

“At 04.47 hours on 5 April 1942, U-552 fired one torpedo from a distance of 1000 yards 7.5 miles off Currituck Inlet, North Carolina and hit the Byron D. Benson (Master John G. MacMillan) amidships between the #7 and #8 tanks. The explosion sent burning oil hundreds of feet in the air and all over the after part of the tanker. The crew of eight officers and 29 men in panic began abandoning ship in two lifeboats without orders, so that the engines were never secured and the vessel was still moving at six knots. Ten men in the boat of the master were seen drifting into flaming water and were not seen again. Four officers and 21 men in the other lifeboat were picked up by the USS Hamilton (DMS 18), one crewman on a raft was picked up by the trawler and another was later found by the US Coast Guard cutter USS Dione. All survivors were landed at Norfolk, Virginia. The burning tanker did not sink until three days later.”

Note: u-boat.com contains information on eleven of those onboard at:
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1503.html

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA: “….
“Historical Background

“In late March of 1942, the tanker, Byron B. Benson, had delivered 100,000 barrels of oil in Texas before making a solo journey up the East Coast to New Jersey. Traveling north with a cargo of crude oil, Bryon D. Benson began its journey alone and in early April, it eventually joined a small convoy of vessels off the coast of North Carolina. The convoy group included another tanker, Gulf of Mexico, and two escorts, USS Hamilton and HMS Norwich City.

“On the night of April 5, 1942, the convoy slowly moved north, all the while being stalked by U-552. U-552 moved in to attack the convoy as it traveled north past Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. A torpedo struck Byron B. Benson on the starboard side amidships and, almost immediately, the crude oil cargo gushed from the opening and fire spread quickly.

“The crew was ordered to abandon ship, but with the loss of the starboard side lifeboats, the remaining boats were overfilled. Amid panic to abandon the burning ship, the engines were never shut down, allowing Byron B. Benson to continue to make way while the crew attempted to escape. In spite of many difficulties, 27 of the 37 crewmembers aboard survived the attack and were taken to Norfolk, Virginia. While the attack and the resulting chaos took place in a matter of minutes, Byron D. Benson did not sink for three days.” (Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA. Byron D. Benson.)

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 4-17-2021 at: http://www.usmm.org/eastgulf.html

Helgason, Gudmundur. Ships hit by U-boats. “Byron D. Benson – American Steam tanker.” Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1503.html

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA. Byron D. Benson. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://monitor.noaa.gov/shipwrecks/benson.html