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Home >> Esso Gettysburg

Esso Gettysburg

Ship Designation: 
-
Date Lost: 
Thursday, June 10, 1943
Torpedoed off Georgia Coast
On Thursday afternoon, June 10, 1943 the SS Esso Gettysburg, one of the first T-2 tankers, was ninety miles off the Georgia coast and bound for Philadelphia with crude oil. Just before 2 PM, the German U-66, sailing at periscope depth, fired two torpedoes, seconds apart. The first shattered two cargo tanks and the whole ship burst into flames. The second hit the engine room and left the Gettysburg dead in the water, down by the stern, and sinking rapidly. All the lifeboats were engulfed by fire. No one saw the sub before the two torpedoes, four seconds apart, set her afire and sank her. Flames prevented launching any boats those who survived jumped overboard, several without time to don life preservers.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 43

Namesort descending Service Branch
Sea 1c Donald Gillespie USN
Messman Arthur Harris USMM
O.S. Willard Hopper USMM
F/W Martin Irvin USMM
Chief Engineer Joseph Jacobs USMM
Master Peder Johnson USMM
Oiler Joseph Lafrance USMM
Engine Cadet Joseph Landron USMM
Cook Thorlief Lassen USMM
Messman Francis Mason USMM
Deck Cadet Alphonse Miller USMM
A.B. Paul Murphy USMM
Wiper Francis Parlatore USMM
A.B. Walter Petring USMM
Radio Officer Weston Pound USMM
Wiper Orie Rose USMM
O.S. Michael Sadlon USMM
Purser James Sharkey USMM
Bosun Albion Shaw USMM
A.B. Charles Teater USMM

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