USCG Cutter Tampa-- Part 5: Its Sinking With All Hands Lost

During the late afternoon of  26 September 1918, the Tampa parted company with Convoy HG-107 which she had just escorted into the Irish Sea from Gibraltar.  The ship was ordered to Wales and proceeded independently there.

At 1930 that evening, in the Bristol Channel she was spotted by bu UB-91.  The U-boat dove and maneuvered into attack position. and fired one torpedo out of its stern at 2015 at a range of about 550 meters.

Minutes later, it hit the Tampa portside amidships, throwing up a huge column of water.  The cutter sank with all hands.:  111 Coast Guard, 4 U.S. navy and  16 passengers, consisting of  11 British navy personnel and 5 civilians.

A search and rescue operation soon commenced and lasted three days turning up just some wreckage and a single, unidentified body.  Three bodies were later recovered.