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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Dorchester

Ship Designation: 
-
Date Lost: 
Wednesday, February 3, 1943
U-Boat Attack off coast of Greenland
The Transport Ship Dorchester was torpedoed by U-223 while en convoy from New Foundland to Greenland. The torpedo struck the starboard side of the ship, opening a hole in the hull which flooded the engine room. The engines were destroyed as were two life boats. ... Orders to abandon ship were issued within three minutes. Dorchester sank within twenty five minutes. ... Two hundred and thirty survivors were later picked up by CGC Escanaba and CGC Comanche who continued their search into the darkness. ... Four U.S. Army chaplains, Father John Washington (Catholic), Reverend Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Rabbi Alexander Goode (Jewish) and Rev. George Fox (Methodist) were among the first on deck, handing out life jackets and assisting as they could. They were last seen by witnesses standing arm-in-arm on the hull of the ship. ... Six hundred and seventy-five were lost, making it the third largest US loss at sea of its kind during the war

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 128

Namesort descending Service Branch
Messman Emilio Gunther USMM
Fire Watchman Wilja Haahti USMM
Oiler Samuel Halsey USMM
1st Engineer William Hanafin USMM
Cook Philip Hector USMM
Linenkeeper William Hederman USMM
Pantryman Carl Hill USMM
Oiler Constanti Kaminski USMM
Galleyman Gerald Klein USMM
Bosun Knute Knutsen USMM
EM 2c William Kretz USN
Deck Engineer Victor Kuchavick USMM
SC 2c William Lambert USN
Chief Steward Charles Lang USMM
MM 1c Robert Lee USN
Bos'n Keith Leeka USN
Radio Officer Walter Lindstrom USMM
Messman Cecil Lisk USMM
Surgeon Charles Loeble USMM
Wiper John Logan USMM

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