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ARMY FLIERS RESCUED
SS Esso Wilmington
THE Esso Wilmmgton is one of a group of six turbo-electric tankers constructed during the war and purchased by the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey from the United States Maritime Commission. Delivered by her builders late in 1942, she distinguished a relatively short period of wartime service by efficient operation and by the large volume of oil carried on hazardous transatlantic voyages.
The career of the Esso Wilmington was high-lighted by the rescue of two Army airmen forced down at sea. On the afternoon of May 25, 1945, the tanker, en route from Philadelphia to Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, was approaching the entrance to Mona Passage, which lies between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Parachutes Into Sea
As reported by the master of the vessel. Captain Walter V. James, the Esso Wilmington was about 37 miles north by east of Mona Island 0 situated about midway of the passage - when an Army plane was sighted. Emerging from a heavy overcast, it was flying toward the ship. There was apparently nothing unusual in this because planes from the Army base on Mona Island had long maintained patrol of these waters for the protection of ships against enemy submarines. But when the plane began to fly. around the Esso Wilmington, at 3:37 p.m., an entry was made in the tanker's log:
"1537 - Army plane circling ship."
The next entry, at 3:45 p.m., recorded with sea-manlike brevity the first unusual event in the story:
"1545 - Man descends in parachute from plane."
At this point begins the eye-witness account of First Assistant Engineer John R. Berret, who was third assistant engineer for training on the Esso Wilmington when the incident occurred:
"I was sleeping when the excitement started and woke up at the sound of the emergency alarm. Thinking it was a fire and boat drill scheduled for about that time, I rushed below to my station in the engine-room, in readiness to operate the fire pumps.
"The phone rang and I received a message from the bridge reporting that a man had parachuted from a plane and dropped into the sea.
"A moment later, the oiler on watch, who had gone up on deck when the alarm sounded, came down and announced what I had just heard. He had hardly spoken when we got a bell to stop the ship. Chief Engineer William Schwindt then appeared and said the plane was circling around us and seemed to be having trouble. Soon afterward, Second Assistant Engineer Charles R. Bender arrived in the engine-room and I had a chance to go on deck."
Berret then referred to the next log entry:
"1555 - Lifeboat away."
"The lifeboat," he said, "had been launched very quickly, in charge of Chief Mate Carl M. Neuerburg. When I reached the deck, the boat was well on its way toward the man who had parachuted. He was floating about 400 yards astern of the ship.
"I stood fascinated, first watching the lifeboat and then the plane as it continued to fly in a circle around the Esso Wilmington, about 20 or 30 feet above the water. The pilot, flying still lower, let the plane down very neatly on the surface and calmly stepped out on the wing."
Ship's log entry:
"1602 - Man who parachuted, rescued. Plane ditched in sea, broad on port bow; distance 200 to 250 yards;
Lat. 18°39' North, Long. 67°32' West."
Plane Sinks, Men Safe
Berret described the rescue of the pilot:
"The plane floated for a few seconds and then started to go down by the nose. Captain James shouted to the lifeboat crew to hurry and pick up the pilot, as the plane was sinking. I saw the Army flier as he stood unconcernedly on the wing until it submerged, shortly before the lifeboat reached him."
To quote the ship's log:
"1607 - Man rescued in water near spot where plane sank.
"1625 - Boat secured to falls.
"1628 - Survivors aboard: 1st Lt. L. B. Yarbrough, pilot who ditched the plane; Cpl. L. A. Cochran, crew member who bailed out in parachute. Neither of the men injured, except for shroud burns on left side of face near eye and left temple of Cpl. Cochran. The men did not appear to be suffering from shock. Both took hot showers, were rubbed with alcohol. Each man was given new trousers, shirt, shoes, socks, underwear, and belt, out of the slop chest.
"1715 - Both men had dinner in officers' saloon and were in good spirits and feeling well."
When the men came on board Captain James directed Chief Radio Operator Henry F. Alsobrook to send a message to the Army base at Mona Island. After stating the circumstances and the position of the Esso Wilmington and giving the men's names and serial numbers, the message concluded.
"Will pass Gallardo Shoals Buoy at 2300. Where can I contact Coast Guard boat to take off men?"
The reply was as follows:
"Plane will contact you. Army crash boat will meet you off Gallardo Shoals Buoy."
The last entry in the log concerning the Army fliers completes the story of the rescue:
"1933 - Survivors away in Army crash boat in immediate vicinity of Gallardo Shoals Buoy. (Starboard side away.) Both men descended the ladder without aid and appeared to be in excellent physical condition except for the shroud burns on the face of Cpl. Cochran."
Storm and Low Gas
The following is quoted from a letter written for this history by Captain James:
"I learned from Lieutenant Yarbrough that while he and Corporal Cochran were on patrol duty, the plane was caught in a storm. They were unable to get their bearings or see the landing station. Finally their supply of gasoline ran dangerously low.
"When they sighted the Esso Wilmington they had very little gas left - just enough to circle the ship and attract our attention.
"The seas were high and rough. My chief officer and the lifeboat crew did excellent work in making the rescue."
The SS Esso Wilmington, ex Fort Stanwix (U.S. M.C.), was built in 1942 by the Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company at Chester, Penna. Of her 5 sisterships, the Esso Gettysburg was sunk by enemy action on June 10, 1943, and the Esso Washington was stranded at Eniwetok in March, 1945. Still afloat are the Esso Manhattan, Esso Norfolk, and Esso Paterson.
A single-screw vessel of 16,780 deadweight tons capacity on international summer draft of 30 feet, 2 inches, the Esso Wilmington has an overall length of 523 feet, 6 inches, a length between perpendiculars of 503 feet, a moulded breadth of 68 feet, and a depth moulded of 39 feet, 3 inches. With a cargo carrying capacity of 138,335 barrels, she has an assigned pumping rate of 7,000 barrels an hour.
Her turbo-electric engine, supplied with steam by two water-tube boilers, develops 7,240 shaft horsepower and gives her a classification certified speed of 14.6 knots.
The Esso Wilmington was time chartered to the War Shipping Administration at Chester, Penna., on November 14, 1942, which was also her official delivery date. She began her maiden voyage when she left Chester on November 30. Arriving at Baytown December 10, she loaded her first cargo, 127,983 barrels of kerosene, for New York. Captain Edward V. Peters was her master and Chief Engineer George H. Ulmer was in charge of her engineroom.
During 1943 the vessel alternated coastwise and transatlantic voyages, all of the latter to United Kingdom ports - Swansea, Avonmouth, Glasgow, and Liverpool - carrying kerosene, gasoline, Diesel oil, fuel oil, burning oil (tractor fuel), and vaporizing oil.
Fuel for the Great Invasion
In 1944 the Esso Wilmington was engaged almost exclusively in transporting vital war, cargoes, mainly gasoline, to Europe. She made a total of nine round trips across the submarine-infested North Atlantic. Seven of these cargoes went to the United Kingdom to help fuel the mighty invasion forces under the supreme command of General Elsenhower which, in 2,480 ships, began the assault against fortress Europe on D-Day, June 6. One shipment of Diesel oil and gasoline went to Oran, North Africa. From September 9 to 12, the tanker discharged at Taranto, Italy, 129,526 barrels of gasoline - her contribution to supplying the U. S. Fifth and British Eighth Armies, which were then mounting a general offensive to break through the Apennines to the Po Valley.
The Esso Wilmington began 1945 with a trip from New York to Avonmouth in her last wartime Atlantic crossing. This was followed by several months of coastwise service. She made her only visit of the war to the Pacific combat zone on a voyage which began with her sailing, June 20, from Curacao, with 102,425 barrels of special Navy fuel oil for Manus, Admiralty Islands.
From Manus to Abadan
After discharging at Manus, the Esso Wilmington proceeded to Abadan, arriving August 19. On V-J Day, September 2, 1945, she was en route from Abadan to Sydney, Australia, with her last war cargo.
The masters of the Esso Wilmington in the war years were Captains Edward V. Peters, Maurice W. Carter, Donald P. Swain and Walter V. James.
In charge of her engineroom during the same period were Chief Engineers George H. Ulmer, Maurice J. A. Belhumeur, Alexander Pratt, and William Schwindt.
Captain James was on active duty in the Naval Reserve from June 3, 1942 to March 5, 1945. As a lieutenant commander he reported for duty in Washington on June 8, 1942, and on July 1 at Cartagena, Colombia. Promoted to commander, he, was first assigned as Consular Shipping Adviser at Cartagena and later as a member of the Naval Man Power Board, Seventh Naval District. Subsequently he was Port Director at Cristobal, Canal Zone.
Placed on inactive duty March 5, 1945, Captain James returned to Company service and was assigned as master of the Esso Wilmington on March 8.
The wartime transportation record of the Esso Wilmington was in summary as follows:
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