Cheerio
American Sailing ship
Name | Cheerio | ||
Type: | Sailing ship | ||
Tonnage | 35 tons | ||
Completed | 1893 | ||
Owner | Antilles Shipping Corp, Ciudad Trujillo | ||
Homeport | |||
Date of attack | 19 Jun 1942 | Nationality: American | |
Fate | Sunk by U-107 (Harald Gelhaus) | ||
Position | 18° 02'N, 67° 40'W - Grid ED 1166 | ||
Complement | 9 (0 dead and 9 survivors). | ||
Convoy | |||
Route | Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic (15 Jun) - Ponce, Puerto Rico | ||
Cargo | Mahogany | ||
History | | ||
Notes on event | At 11.02 hours on 19 June 1942 the unescorted and unarmed schooner Cheerio (Master Félix Hernández) was spotted by U-107 eight miles southeast of Mona Island. After about 30 minutes the Germans began to shell the vessel from a distance of only 100 meters on her starboard quarter, the crew abandoned ship after two or three rounds had been fired and set the schooner on fire. The flames attracted a PBY Catalina flying boat and the U-boat was forced to cease the attack and crash dive, but not before five hits had fatally damaged the Cheerio which sank after about one hour. Another patrol aircraft led USCGC CG-459 to the survivors shortly thereafter. The cutter found the survivors clinging to driftwood, picked up all hands and landed them at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. | ||
On board | We have details of 3 people who were on board. |
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