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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
Waiter Edward Newman USMM
2nd Engineer Bonde Nilsson USMM
A.B. Daniel Nitti USMM
A.B. James O'rourke USMM
Waiter Thomas Ocasio USMM
Galleyman Jose Olmo USMM
Pantryman Walter Overdick USMM
Utility Edward Parks USMM
Radio Officer Frank Patalive USMM
AM 3c William Paterson USN
GM 3c Daniel Patteson USN
Steward Frederick Paulsen USMM
Yeoman Juan Pella USMM
AMM 1c Robert Phillips USN
Steward Richard Raymond USMM
Chief Mate Louis Rayner USMM
Utility Ignacio Reinosa USMM
GM 3c John Riggs USN
Chief Engineer James Ritter USMM
Cook Melvin Roberts USMM

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