Thursday, August 21, 2008

William C. McTarnahan, Motor Tanker

The William T. McTarnahan was a 7,306 ton motor tanker launched in 1941 in Mobile, Alabama. It was attacked May 16, 1942 and seriously damaged by the U-506 under command of Erich Wurdemann. Of the 45 crew members, there were 18 dead and 27 survivors.

The ship, however, did not sink, and was repaired. In 1943, it was transferred to the Soviet Union and returned to the US in August 1944 and had the name changed to St. James.

At 11.01 hours, the McTarnahan, unescorted and cruising in a non-evasive manner, was hit by two torpedoes on the starboard side about 35 miles east of Sip Shoal Light, Louisiana. Fire broke out in the fuel bunkers on the after part of the vessel and killed everyone there. The U-506 then shelled the McTarnahan for 15 minutes before her crew abandoned ship. It then closed to within 400 yards and began shelling the burning ship with 12-15 shots.

The shrimp trawlers Defender, Pioneer (the article was about this boat) and Viscali picked up survivors and took them to Houma where four more died of burns.

The badly damaged McTarnahan was towed to the entrance of Southwest Pass and arrived in Mobile for repairs on the 23rd of June.

A Tanker is Still a Bad Place to Be When You're Torpedoed. --Da Coot

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