1942 — Feb 22, US tanker Cities Service Empire sunk by U-boat off Cape Canaveral, FL–14

–14 AAMW. US Ships Sunk or Damaged on Eastcoast of U.S….World War II…. 2010.
–14 Helgason. “Ships hit by U-boats. Cities Service Empire, American Steam merchant.” Uboat.net.

Narrative Information

American Merchant Marine at War:
Date Ship Type Cause Result Location Deaths
“02/22/42 Cities Service Empire Tanker Torpedo Sunk Eastcoast Crew 11; AG 3”

Helgason/uboat.net:
“Name Cities Service Empire
“Type Steam tanker
“Tonnage 8,103 tons
“Completed 1918 – Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Sparrow’s Point, MD
“Owner Cities Service Oil Co., New York
“Homeport New York
“Date of attack 22 Feb 1942
“Nationality American
“Fate Sunk by U-128 (Ulrich Heyse)
“Position 28° 25’N, 80° 02’W – Grid DB 9439
“Complement 50 (14 dead and 36 survivors).
“Route Port Arthur, Texas – Philadelphia
“Cargo 9400 barrels of crude oil
….
“Notes on event At 11.51 hours on 22 Feb 1942 the unescorted Cities Service Empire (Master William Faucett Jerman, Jr.) was hit by two torpedoes from U-128 about 25 miles north of Bethel Shoals off the Florida coast. The tanker had maintained a non-evasive course at 10 knots in moderate to heavy seas and had been missed by the first four torpedoes. The torpedoes struck the vessel amidships at the after pump room deep in the ship´s bowels on the starboard side. Fire broke out immediately and within seconds the ship and the water around the tanker were ablaze. The armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns) were driven away from their guns and the master gave the order to abandon ship after 10 minutes. All lifeboats had been destroyed by the fire and only two rafts could be launched. Most of the crew of eight officers, 33 men and nine armed guards jumped overboard.

“The US Coast Guard cutter USS Vigilant (WPC 154) reached the burning ship and the commanding officer saw three men at the bow of the tanker. Nosing his ship up to the burning tanker, some men crawled aboard the ship and battled the flames until they rescued two of them. But before they could go back for the third, the tanker exploded, showered the cutter with unignited oil from stem to stern, broke in two and sank at 12.10 hours. The master, three armed guards and ten crewmen died. The 34 survivors on the rafts were later picked up by the USS Biddle (DD 151) and taken to Fort Pierce, Florida.”

Note: uboat.net has information concerning 22 of those aboard at:
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship1364.html

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 4-43-2021 at: http://www.usmm.org/eastgulf.html

Helgason, Gudmundur. “Ships hit by U-boats. Cities Service Empire, American Steam merchant.” uboat.net. Webpage accessed 4-14-2021 at: https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1364.html