Auke Visser's International Esso Tankers site | home
Esso Boston (1) - (1938 -1942)
Tanker "Esso Boston (I)", ready to be launched at the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company
of Kearny, N.J., on March 19th 1938.
"Esso Boston" (1), November 11th, 1938.( Photo Copyright Taylor, William B. )
"Esso Boston" (1), November 11th, 1938.( Photo Copyright Taylor, William B. )
The first "Esso Boston" as she appeared shortly after completion in 1938.
"Esso Boston".
Clouds of black smoke billow from the burning "Esso Boston" and foremast is tottering.( T.R. Strobridge Collection, 1975 )
Before going down, the "Esso Boston" was riddled by heavy shellfire.
The Miramar Ship Index for "ESSO BOSTON"
IDNo:
|
2237087
|
Year:
|
1938
|
Name:
|
ESSO BOSTON
|
Keel:
|
|
Type:
|
Tanker
|
Launch Date:
|
19.03.1938
|
Flag:
|
USA
|
Date of completion:
|
03.1938
|
TonS:
|
7698
|
Link:
|
-
|
DWT:
|
13085
|
Yard No:
|
146
|
Length overall:
|
|
Ship Design:
|
|
LPP:
|
134.1
|
Country of build:
|
USA
|
Beam:
|
20.3
|
Builder:
|
Federal
|
Material of build:
|
|
Location of yard:
|
Kearny
|
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
|
1ST-12
|
|
|
Subsequent History:
-
Disposal Data:
Torpedoed, shelled and sunk by U 130, 12 April 1942, in 21.42 N-60.00 W, voyage Caripito - Halifax, crude oil
History :
ON
|
LR/IMO
|
ID
|
Year
|
Name
|
Tons
|
Change
|
Registered Owner
|
237087
|
|
2237087
|
1938
|
ESSO BOSTON
|
7698
|
-
|
Standard Oil Co (New Jersey)
|
Sisterships are "Esso Bayonne", "Esso Bayway", "Esso Houston", "Esso Montpelier" and "Esso Concord".
Additional Information from Uboat.net :
Name: Esso Boston
Type: Steam tanker
Tonnage: 7.699 tons
Completed: 1938 - Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Kearny NJ
Owner: Standard Oil Co of New Jersey, New York
Homeport: Wilmington
Date of attack: 12 Apr, 1942
Nationality: American
Fate: Sunk by U-130 (Ernst Kals)
Position: 21.42N, 60.00W - Grid DP 4754
- See location on a map -
Complement: 37 (0 dead and 37 survivors).
Convoy: -
Route: Güiria, Venezuela - Halifax
Cargo: 105.400 barrels of crude oil
History: -
Notes on loss:
At 19.21 hours on 12 Apr, 1942, the unescorted and unarmed Esso Boston (Master John Ludwig Johnson) was torpedoed by U-130
about 300 miles northeast of St.Martins, while en route on a zigzag course at 14 knots, just made a right turn. The torpedo struck
between the # 2 and # 3 tanks on the starboard side, ten feet below the waterline and blew open the forward deck. The engines were
stopped and the crew of eight officers and 29 men abandoned ship in three lifeboats. Five minutes after the hit, U-130 surfaced and
began shelling the ship, which caught fire on the entire length of the vessel. The U-boat then came alongside one of the boats and
questioned the men, offered them food and water and provided directions to the nearest convoy and land.
Early the next day, the chief engineer and a fireman reboarded the tanker and an inspection revealed that the ship could have been
salvaged, but with no equipment the prospect for saving the vessel seemed slim. The tanker sank shortly thereafter. The survivors
were picked up by the USS Biddle (DD 151) on 13 April and landed them at San Juan, Puerto Rico.