SHIPS HIT USA 80 * - U S SHIPS A / C 21
18)CHICKASAW CITY U-172
Photo. City of Vancouver Archives CVA 447-2097
Built 1920
Tonnage 6,196 / 9,400 tons
Cargo: 1,400 tons of chrome ore, coffee and hides
Route: Capetown - Port of Spain, Trinidad - USA
Sunk 7 OCT 42 by U-172 on position 34º 15"S 17º 11"E
7 Dead
42 Survivors
Completed in May 1920 for US Shipping Board (USSB)
At 05.02 hours on 7 Oct, 1942, the unescorted Chickasaw City (Master John Walker Morton) was hit by two torpedoes from U-172, while proceeding on a non evasive course with dim navigation lights burning about 85 miles south-southwest of Capetown. She was the first ship sunk by U-boats off South Africa, so the crew was not aware of the danger. The torpedoes struck the starboard side and ruptured the double bottoms and the after deck. The watch below secured the engines and the ship rapidly sank within three minutes.
The ship carried ten officers, 27 crewmen, eleven armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, four 20mm and four .30cal guns) and one passenger. The master, four crewmen, one armed guard and the passenger died. The survivors left the Chickasaw City in one lifeboat, two rafts and two floats. Emmermann questioned the survivors about the cargo before leaving. 38 hours later, the remaining 42 men were picked up by the British corvette HMS Rockrose (K 51) and landed at Capetown the next day.
41 of the survivors were later repatriated on the Dutch motor passenger ship Zaandam, which was sunk by U-174 (Thilo) on 2 November. Twelve crewmen and six armed guards from the Chickasaw City died.
By Chickasaw City (American Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net
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