Belgian ships archive Name : SS Ampetco (1) 8247 GRT built 1918 Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Sparrow's Point, Maryland ( #172 ) C 5.1918 5998 n 11960 tdw ( LR 1937/38 8103 grt 8040 under deck 5020 n ) 146.8 (141,61 bp ?) x 18.33 x 10.13 ( ft 464.7 x 60.2 x 33.3 x 27.5 ) 3000 IHP 560 NHP single screw quadruple exp. engine 24",35",51" & 75-51" by builders Laid down for the American Petroleum Company, Rotterdam. 1917 taken over while building by the US Government. 1918 completed for the US Shipping Board, registered at Baltimore 1919 transferred 19-22 AMPETCO Standard Oil C° (New Jersey), New York America Feb 1922 transferred 22-28 AMPETCO S.A. American Petroleum Co., Antwerp Belgium NRC Land's End (draadloos station) 28.9.1926: Volgens een draaloos bericht van den kapitein van het Belgische ss AMPETCO, van Houston naar Antwerpen, heeft dit schip met een orkaan te kampen gehad. Een reddingsboot is vernield, terwijl het schip door noodzakelijke reparatiën aan de machine vertraging ondervindt. NRC New Orleans 25.7.1927: Het Britsche ss PORTLOE en het Belgische ss AMPETCO zijn op de rivier met elkaar in aanvaring geweest. Eerstgenoemd st. lag aan de kade gemeerd. Beide schepen kregen geringe schade. 14.9.1928 sold 28-37 CITIES SERVICE EMPIRE Cities Service Transportation Co., Inc, New York America 37-42 CITIES SERVICE EMPIRE Cities Service Oil Co., New York America 22.2.42 Torpedoed and sunk at 11.51 by U 128 ( Ulrich Heyse ) in pos. 28°25' N - 80°02' W (Grid DB 9439) o/v Port Arthur to Philadelphia with 9400 barrels crude oil. Master, 10 crew and 3 US Navy gunners lost with the vessel. At 11.51 the unescorted tanker ( Master William Faucett Jerman Jr. ) was hit by two torpedoes about 25 m N of Bethel Shoals. The ship had maintained a nonevasive course at 10 kn in moderate heavy seas and had been missed by the first four torpedoes. The torpedoes struck the tanker amidships at the after pump room deep in the ship's bowles on the starboard side. Fire broke out immediately. Ship was armed with one 5in, two .50cal and two .30cal guns. After 10 minutes the master gave the order to abandon ship. Most of the crew of eight officers, 33 men and nine armed guards jumped overboard. The US Coast Guard cutter VIGILANT (WPC 154) reached the burning ship and rescued two men. Ship broke in two and sank at 12.10. The 34 survivors on the rafts were later picked up by the USS BIDDLE (DD 151) and taken to Fort Pierce, Fla.