Ships hit by U-boats


Meton

American Steam tanker


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NameMeton
Type:Steam tanker
Tonnage7,027 tons
Completed1920 - Moore Shipbuilding Co, Oakland CA 
OwnerPaco Tankers Inc (Pennsylvania Shipping Co), Philadelphia PA 
HomeportWilmington 
Date of attack5 Nov 1942Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-129 (Hans-Ludwig Witt)
Position12° 21'N, 69° 21'W - Grid EC 9296
Complement50 (1 dead and 49 survivors).
ConvoyTAG-18
RouteCuraçao (4 Nov) - Cienfuegos, Cuba 
Cargo66000 barrels of bunker C fuel oil 
History  
Notes on event

At 08.07 hours on 5 Nov 1942, U-129 fired four single bow torpedoes at four ships in convoy TAG-18 about 100 miles of the north coast of Curaçao and observed three hits. The three torpedoes all hit the Meton (Master Victor Axel Hagstrom), the lead ship in the outside column on the starboard side of convoy. The tanks #4, #6 and #9 were hit and the cargo caught fire for a short time, because it was extinguished by the explosion of the last torpedo. As the ship settled slowly, the eight officers, 30 crewmen and twelve armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and four 30cal guns) abandoned ship in one lifeboat, because the other three lifeboats and all rafts had been destroyed. A fireman had been killed in the explosions, the tanker finally sank ten hours later. The survivors were picked up after two hours by the Dutch MTB HNMS TM-23 and landed at Curaçao.

 
On boardWe have details of 2 people who were on board


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