162ft, 443 Ton, Triple Expansion Steam Engine
Sank on May 12th, 1942
Depth 105 feet

May 10, 1942, the HMT Bedfordshire left Morehead City on what would be its last patrol. Early on May 12, as it was operating off of Cape Lookout, NC, the U-558 spotted it as it was coming down the coast, heading south. The crew aboard the HMT Bedfordshire did not notice the attack as the U-558 fired its first two torpedoes, but missed. The Bedfordshire was hit by the third torpedo, causing the small trawler to be blasted almost out of the water. The sinking of the HMT Bedfordshire resulted in the loss of its 37 crew. Several days passed without anyone noticing the absence of the HMT Bedfordshire, and it was only when several bodies washed ashore and authorities identified them as crew members of the Bedfordshire that they discovered its fate.

218ft, 1070 Ton,Twin Diesel / Electric Motor
Sank on May 9th, 1942
Depth 115 feet

May 9th, 1942, the U-352 spotted a target and quickly fired two torpedoes but failed to hit the vessel. The ship turned out to be the US Coast Guard Cutter Icarus which quickly turned and made its initial attack run on the U-352. The Icarus firedfive depth charges which severely damaged the submarine. Two more depth charge attacks forced the U-352 to the surface, where the u-boat commander KL Rathke ordered the scuttling and abandonment of his ship. The Icarus continued its attack with machine guns and 3-inch guns while the u-boat crew attempted to abandon ship. In the end, the attack continued on the Icarus with machine guns and 3 inch guns while the u-boat crew tried to abandon ship, resulting in the death of 17 crew members and the capture of the rest, who were taken to Charleston, SC as prisoners of war.

446ft, 7058 Ton, Oil Fired Steam
Sank on Apr 9th, 1942
Depth 125 feet

The SS Atlas sailed alone from Houston to Seawarren, New Jersey, carrying 83,000 barrels of gasoline. At 0250 EWT, a torpedo struck the #6 tank on the starboard side, causing gasoline to leak and shower the entire ship. A second torpedo hit in the same area and set fire to the gasoline, killing two of the crew. The Atlas had a crew of 34, and a Coast Guard cutter later spotted them and picked them up. They landed at Morehead City, NC around 0800 on April 9th.

255ft, 1603 Ton, Coal Fired Steam
Sank on June 18th, 1918
Depth 110 feet

The Schurz started its life in 1894 as a german armed cruiser named the SMS Geier. She had both steam and sail propulsion and was a mix of copper sheathing, steel and wood. The Geier served in the German navy during the Spanish-American War (1894), the Boxer Rebellion (1900-1905), and Turkish-Italian War (1911-1913). During the beginning days of WWI, the Geier was in the Pacific and was being pursued by Japan. She entered the then neutral port of Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1914 for supplies and repairs. The US was neutral at the time and not yet entered the war, but German interests did not align with those of the United States. The Geier was interred at that point and the US Navy prevented her from leaving so that she would not support German war efforts. Almost 3 years later, she seized at the entry of the United States into WWI (1917). She was re-fitted and launched as the Schurz in October 1917 and served in the US Navy in convoy duties as a patrol vessel. On June 18, 1918, the SS Floridia struck the Schurz, who was running with lights out to avoid german submarines. The Schurz sank several hours later with one fatality.

453ft, 7076 Ton, Steam
Sank on March 18, 1942
Depth 120 feet

The W.E. Hutton was traveling from Smith’s Bluff, TX to Marcus Hook, PA with 65,000 barrels of #2 heating oil. In-spite of the u-boat threat, she was traveling unarmed and alone, but her master, Captain Carl Flaathen, had taken the precaution of running with lights out and blackout curtains engaged. But against a shrewd and experienced u-boat captain like KL Mohr of the U-124, this was not enough. At 2210, on 3/18/1942, a torpedo slammed into the bow, on the starboard side blowing out the forepeak. The Hutton started listing to the starboard side, but was staying afloat and making headway. The captain tried to make shore where he could beach his wounded tanker. Eight minutes later, the U-124 launched another torpedo, this time with greater affect. It slammed into the port side at the #3 tank right below the midship house. The Hutton’s midships quickly became a blazing inferno. The crew launched rafts and lifeboats as they started abandoning the stricken tanker to escape the flames. Although spread across two lifeboats and two life rafts, the 23 survivors had the good sense of staying together during the night. At dawn of the 19th, they all gathered into one lifeboat and started rowing their way to shore. At 10:35, the MS Port Halifax picked them up and transported them to the Savannah, GA sea buoy, where they transferred to a pilot boat and were taken ashore. The attack resulted in the death of 13 crew members.

261ft, 2609 Ton, Oil Fired Steam
Sank on March 11, 1942
Depth 90 feet

The Caribsea was sailing alone en route from Santiago, Cuba, to Norfolk, VA. with a cargo of manganese. At 02:00 EWT, two torpedoes struck the Caribsea on the starboard side. The first hit the #2 hold and the second hit amidships. The ship sunk in less than 3 minutes. Unable to launch of the ship’s lifeboats, the crew jumped overboard. Only 7 of the 28 member crew clung to wreckage and survive the 10 hours in the water before the freighter SS Norlindo picked them up. Reports indicate that the U-158 circled the survivors during the night, shining a light in their direction before finally submerging. They transported them towards Cape Henry, VA before transferring them to a Coast Guard boat. Two months later, the U-507 sank the Norlindo near the Dry Tortugas.