J. A. Moffett Jr. - (1921-1942)

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ESSO International Tankers 1920-1929

Torpedoed, burned, abandend and her master killed, the "J. A. Moffett Jr." was ultimatily scrapped.

One of the three 3-cylinder, 150-horsepower Cooper-M.A.N. auxiliary-diesel engines on

the Standard Oil tanker J. A. Moffett.

"J. A. Moffett Jr.".

Superstructure damage by shelling and flames, Ms "J. A. Moffett Jr.".

The Miramar Ship Index for "J.A. MOFFETT JR"

IDNo:	2221521	Year:	1921
Name:	J.A. MOFFETT JR.	Keel:
Type:	Tanker	Launch Date:	14.07.1921
Flag:	USA	Date of completion:	08.1921

Tons:	10396	Link:	-
DWT:	15620	Yard No:	50
Length overall:	157.4	Ship Design:
LPP:	152.2	Country of build:	USA
Beam:	20.8	Builder:	Federal SB & DD Co.
Material of build:		Location of yard:	Kearny
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):	2T-11

Subsequent History:

Disposal Data:

Torpedoed and shelled 24.47 N / 80.42 W on 08.07.1942 ( 1 dead ) & scrapped at Galveston.

History:

ON	LR/IMO	ID	Year	Name	Tons	Change	Registered Owner
221521		2221521	1921	J.A. MOFFETT JR.	10396	-	Standard Oil Co.,New Jersey
221521		2221521	1921	J.A. MOFFETT JR.	10396	1927	Standard Sg., Co., Inc.
221521		2221521	1921	J.A. MOFFETT JR.	10396	1936	Standard Oil Co., of New Jersey

Sisterships are E. T. Bedford, E. M. Clark, Walter Jennings and E. J. Sadler.

Additional Info by Starke & Schell Registers :

J. A. MOFFETT, JR. - 1920 USA 2T (aft) (11)

10,397GRT for Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, New York 499.2 x 68.1

Tanker built by Federal SB. Co., Kearny, N.J. (8) #50 221521

1927 - Standard Shipping Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del.

12/1927 - converted to motor tanker 2M

1935 - Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, Wilmington, Del.

Torpedoed and shelled by U 571, 8 July 1942, in 24.47 N-80.42 W ( off Tennessee Reef, Florida Keys ), set afire

and abandoned, voy. Baltimore - Port Arthur, in ballast, salved, towed to Galveston, sold for scrapping

Posthumous Award.

The tanker MS J. A. Moffett jr. was torpedoed and shelled by U-571 on July 8, 1942 in the Florida Keys while en

route from Baltimore to Port Arthur Texas. Captain Patrick S. Mahoney was killed while launching a life boat.

The illustration above shows his son receiving the Mariner's Medal -- equivalent to the Purple Heart -- from

Vice-Admiral A. P. Fairfield USN, while his mother Christine looks on. The ceremony took place in

New York on Maritime Day, May 22, 1944. [ Mast Magazine, 1944 ]

Mariner's Medal.

The Mariner's Medal is awarded to any seaman who while serving in a ship during the war period is wounded, suffers physical injury,

or suffers through dangerous exposure as a result of an act of enemy of the United States. In the event any such seaman dies from

the wounds or injuries before the award can be made to him, the medal may he presented to the person named in the War Risk

Policy as his beneficiary. [Designed by Paul Manship.]

Additional information from Uboat.net :

Name: J.A. Moffett, Jr.

Type: Motor tanker

Tonnage: 9.788 tons

Completed: 1921 - Federal Shipbuilding Co, Kearny NJ

Owner: Standard Oil Co of New Jersey, New York

Homeport: Wilmington

Date of attack: 8 Jul, 1942

Nationality: American

Fate: A total loss by U-571 (Helmut Möhlmann)

Position: 24.47N, 80.42W - Grid DM 2824

- See location on a map -

Complement: 43 (1 dead and 42 survivors).

Convoy:

Route: Baltimore - Wilmington (4 Jul) - Port Arthur, Texas

Cargo: Water ballast in tanks #3, #5 and #7

History: Built as steam tanker, 1928 converted to motor tanker

Notes on loss:

At 06.16 hours on 8 Jul, 1942, the unescorted J.A. Moffett, Jr. (Master Patrick Sarsfield Mahony) was attacked by U-571 with a

two torpedo spread 3 miles southwest of Tennessee Reef. One torpedo struck one the port side at the # 1 tank. The master tried

to beach the tanker with a hard turn to starboard, but the engines were secured and the ship began to lose way. The most of the

eight officers and 29 crewmen abandoned ship in two lifeboats and three rafts. The six armed guards manned the 4in and two .30

cal guns to defend the ship, but a second torpedo struck after 15 minutes at the # 8 tank on the port side. The disabled ship drifted

in a semicircle until going aground on the Reef, at this point the gun crew abandoned the ship. As the lifeboat was launched, the

arm of the master got caught in the falls and was amputated. He died of a loss of blood.

30 minutes after the first attack, the U-boat surfaced and began shelling the ship for five minutes, setting the midships house afire.

The survivors were picked up by the US Coast guard auxiliary crafts Mary Jean and Southbound within three hours and were

landed at Craig, Florida. The US Coast guard cutter USS Nike (WPC 112) saved another man and brought him to Craig.

In October 1942 a salvage crew of Merritt, Chapman & Scott pulled the tanker of the reef and towed her to Key West, where she

was declared a total loss. She was later towed to Galveston, arriving on 4 Jan, 1943, and scrapped.