| Name: | Pennsylvania Sun | ||
| Type: | Motor tanker | ||
| Tonnage: | 11.394 tons | ||
| Completed: | 1938 - Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Chester PA | ||
| Owner: | Sun Oil Company, Philadelphia PA | ||
| Homeport: | Philadelphia | ||
| Date of attack: | 15 Jul, 1942 | Nationality: American | |
| Fate: | Damaged by U-571 (Helmut Mohlmann | ||
| Position: | 24.05N, 83.42W - Grid DM 1976 |
||
| Complement: | 59 (2 dead and 57 survivors). | ||
| Convoy: | |||
| Route: | Port Arthur, Texas - Belfast | ||
| Cargo: | 107.500 barrels of Navy fuel oil | ||
| History: | |
||
| Notes on loss: | At 07.49 hours on 15 Jul, 1942, the unescorted
Pennsylvania Sun (Master Frederick Lyall) was hit by one torpedo
from U-571 about 125 miles west of Key West, while steaming on a zigzag
course at 14 knots. The torpedo struck amidships on the port side
between the #5 and #6 tanks and blew away the port wing of the bridge,
killed the quartermaster and a seaman and ignited the cargo. The master
steered for five minutes southeast at full speed and then ordered the
engines stopped, while a distress signal was sent and confirmed. The
survivors among the nine officers, 33 crewmen and 17 armed guards (the
ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in, four 20mm and two .30cal guns) on
board abandoned ship in three lifeboats, rowed away and put out sea
anchors to wait for a rescue vessel. They were picked up by the USS
Dahlgren (DD 187) after three and one-half hours and taken to Key
West the same day. The next evening, the master, three officers and the crew of the American salvage tug USS Willet (ARS 12) returned to the Pennsylvania Sun, when a patrol aircraft reported that the fire had abated. They extinguished the flames and towed her to Key West, where temporary repairs were made. The tanker steamed under own power with her crew to Chester, Pennsylvania and returned to service after the permanent repairs were completed. |
||
