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Heinrich v. Riedemann - (1935-1942)
ALONE AND UNARMED
MS Heinrich v. Riedemann.

In the spring of 1942 the German U-boat campaign, intensified after Pearl Harbor and extended to western Atlantic
waters, was rapidly approaching the peak reached in June and July of that year.
Bound from Trinidad to Aruba, the Panama Transport Company tanker Heinrich v. Riedemann, alone and unarmed,
was attacked without warning on the night of April 16, 1942. By unusual good fortune there was no loss of life or
serious injury. The 44 members of her American crew got away in three lifeboats. They then watched helplessly
while a second and a third torpedo exploded against the side of their ship before she sank in flames.
Captain Andrew Weiler of the Heinrich v. Riedemann described the sinking of his vessel:
"We left Guiria, Venezuela, at 3:30 p.m., April 14, 1942, with a cargo of 127,041 barrels of Jusepin crude intended
for Aruba. The Heinrich v. Riedemann was unarmed; 44 officers and men, including myself, comprised her crew.
"We proceeded first to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, where we anchored at 8:12 p.m. and received orders from the British
naval authorities. Leaving Port-of-Spain in a small convoy at 7:55 a.m., April 16, we steered various courses until
clear of the Boca de Navios (an exit from the Gulf of Paria).
"We changed course to 355° true at 9 a.m. During the rest of the day we saw several airplanes, which were guarding
us against enemy attack. At 1:25 p.m. the convoy reached the dispersal point. Here the Heinrich v. Riedemann
changed course to 283° true and proceeded alone in accordance with orders. The weather was clear with easterly
wind, Force 4, and moderate seas all the way. Our speed was 12 knots. The ship was completely blacked out at
night.

First Torpedo at 11:20 p.m.
"On the evening of April 16, I had gone to my room and was asleep. Suddenly, at 11:20 p.m., I was awakened by
the explosion of a torpedo which struck the Heinrich v. Riedemann on the port side in way of No. 6 tank. All lights
were extinguished. I rushed to the radio room to investigate. On my orders Radio Operator Charles C. Youngs
sent out an SOS.
I then went to the bridge to get our position-Latitude 11°55' North, Longitude 63047' West, or about 150 miles
northwest of Trinidad-and sent the information to Youngs.
"On the bridge at the time of the explosion were Third Mate Joseph R. Acosta and, at the helm. Able Seaman
Joseph A. Visinskas. Able Seaman Otto De Vries and Ordinary Seaman William J. Lawless, Jr., were on lookout
on top of the wheelhouse. In a short time Chief Mate Elmer L. Carty and Second Mate Wofford W. Tweed arrived."

Engines Put Out of Commission.
The port engine of the Heinrich v. Riedemann was damaged and put out of action by the explosion; the steering
gear was also wrecked and jammed to port. In accordance with Captain Weiler's standing orders, the starboard
motor was immediately stopped. Carried on by her momentum, the ship traveled in a circle.
Hoping to escape in the darkness. Captain Weiler asked Chief Engineer Ogden E. Power to try to start the
engines. The starboard engine was started but soon "died."  Chief Engineer Power informed Captain Weiler that
at least an hour of work would be required to repair the port engine. As Captain Weiler stated in his report:
"Upon inspection it was evident that the steering apparatus was hopelessly damaged. Oil from No. 6 tank, where
the torpedo had struck, was emerging over the top and there was serious danger of fire. Therefore, at 11:40 p.m.
-20 minutes after the attack -I gave the order to abandon ship.
"Most of the crew had already proceeded in an orderly manner to their boat stations. The after stations were crow-
ded and I called some of the men forward. Lifeboats Nos. 3 and 4 were launched first. I handed the ship's secret
papers to Third Mate Acosta and he placed them in a special weighted ease and threw them overboard.
"No. 2 lifeboat was not launched, as there were insufficient men to man it. At 11:55 p.m., all hands being clear of
the tanker, I boarded No. 1 boat, which already held 14 officers and men. Accompanied by No. 3 boat, we rowed
in a southerly direction for about a half mile, then lay to. At that time we lost sight of No. 3 lifeboat.
"Another torpedo struck the Heinrich v. Riedemann at 12:40 a.m., April 17, setting her ablaze. From our position
it was not possible to see where the second torpedo struck. The fire went out at 1:05 a.m.
"In order to avoid being located and perhaps destroyed by the submarine we rowed away for another mile and
again lay to. I kept the vessel under observation through my binoculars. As long as she stayed afloat I wished to
remain in the vicinity in case it might prove feasible to reboard her and save her.
"At 1:55 a.m. there was a third, and, I believed, an internal, explosion. I thought it did not sound loud enough for
a torpedo. However, the testimony of the men in No. 4 boat, who were much closer to the ship, indicates that the
explosion was, in fact, that of a torpedo. The Heinrich v. Riedemann was once more set afire; she kept burning
for about an hour.
"Not long after the third explosion a plane came over and dropped two flares. The burning ship must have been
plainly visible, but apparently the lifeboats were not sighted. The flames gradually burned lower and finally went
out at 3:05 a.m. At that time the tanker evidently sank, as she could not be seen."
Chief Engineer Power was in his cabin when the first torpedo struck.
"When Captain Weiler gave the order to abandon ship," he said, "I secured the engines. I then went to my boat
station and got into No. 4 lifeboat with Second Mate Tweed and 17 other officers and men. We rowed east into
the wind and astern of the vessel.
"I believe the third explosion was that of a torpedo which hit the Heinrich v. Riedemann in the port quarter. Follo-
wing this we heard a series of explosions inside the tanker.
"At the same time we saw a submarine standing steady on the port side of the ship. We could see no one at her
fore gun or on the conning tower. When it seemed only a matter of minutes before the Heinrich v. Riedemann
would sink, the submarine disappeared. Shortly after this a plane circled overhead and dropped flares. Some
time later the Heinrich v. Riedemann sank."

Second Torpedo Set Oil Ablaze.
Third Mate Acosta (at that time known as Jose A. Rodriguez-he later changed his name) was the deck officer on
watch at the time of the attack. In an interview for this history he gave additional descriptive details:
"The first explosion did not start a fire, but by opening No. 6 tank it allowed oil to spread over the surface of the
water. The second torpedo ignited this oil and set fire to the Heinrich v. Riedemann. Soon the tanker was entirely
surrounded by flames and the lifeboats were endangered.
"I got into No. 1 boat with Captain Weiler and 13 others. We rowed away from the ship as fast as we could, but
had considerable difficulty with our oars, which were slippery with oil."
Second Cook Isaac Weissman also contributed an eye-witness account:
"Leaving Guiria, we had made a dash to reach Port-of-Spain, across the Gulf of Paria, as soon after nightfall as
possible. This was two months after Aruba was shelled-on February 16 and 18, 1942-and even these enclosed
waters were considered highly dangerous.
"I was in my bunk going to sleep when the attack came. I thought at first that the explosion I heard was a backfire,
such as sometimes occurs with Diesel engines. However, I jumped up, put on my trousers, and ran on deck,
where I slipped on the oil which had spurted out of No. 6 tank.
"At about the time when the abandon ship order was given, the submarine was observed off the port side of the
Heinrich v. Riedemann.
"I got away in No. 4 boat. We were about 200 feet from the ship when there came a tremendous flash as the
second torpedo struck-I believe it was in the bunkers-and set her afire.

Saw Submarine Crash-dive.
"We were to port of the Heinrich v. Riedemann, on the opposite side from the other two boats. We could see the
shadowy shape of the submarine coming in our direction, through the darkness.
"The third torpedo struck. The flames, which had died out, were rekindled and the vessel settled lower in the water.
"The U-boat now appeared to me to be heading almost directly toward us. Suddenly she crash-dived. Possibly
she had detected the approach of the plane that came over a short time later and dropped flares. The aircraft
did not spot us."
All of the 44 crew members of the Heinrich v. Riedemann got away in the lifeboats. No. 1 held 15, including
Captain Weiler, Chief Mate Carty, Third Mate Acosta, and Radio Operator Youngs. No. 3 boat contained 10 men
and No. 4 had 19, among whom were Chief Engineer Power and Second Mate Tweed.
The adventures of the survivors in lifeboat No. 1 were related in Captain Waiter's report:
"We set sail at 3:05 a.m., April 17, and headed west southwest for Blanquilla Island, which was about 50 miles
away-and about 200 miles west northwest of Trinidad.
"The island of Los Hermanos, southeast of Blanquilla, was sighted at 6:20 a.m. A plane passed us about 5 miles
to the northeast at 7 a.m. Apparently we were not seen, although we sent up a 'para flare'.
"We sailed toward Los Hermanos until 3:30 p.m., when we sighted Blanquilla and set a course to bring us there.
At about this time the wind died, forcing us to row. A light breeze came up at 6 p.m. and we sailed around the
south end of the island and landed on the beach at 7 p.m., April 17. Securing the boat and putting everything in
order, we made ourselves as comfortable as possible and went to sleep.
"The following morning, April 18, I sent out three groups to search for water and inhabitants. In a few hours they
returned and informed me that they had located a small village, Pampatar.
"Proceeding to Pampatar, we contacted Senor Ildefonso Rodriguez, a customs guard. On April 20 this gentle-
man dispatched a sailing vessel to Margarita- a larger island near the mainland-to inform the Venezuelan
authorities of our presence. The SS Maracaibo (a passenger and freight coastal ship of 1,771 gross tons, home
port Caracas, owned by the Venezuelan Government) arrived at 6 a.m. April 22 to pick us up.

Presented Lifeboat to Village.
"We had been on Blanquilla four and a half days and had been very kindly cared for by the people. In appreciation,
we presented to the village our lifeboat and such provisions as we had left.
"The Maracaibo landed us at Cumana, on the mainland, at 8 p.m. April 22. We were questioned by the Port
Captain on behalf of the Venezuelan authorities, but were not permitted to go ashore until April 24. I then wired
the office of the Creole Petroleum Corporation (Standard Oil Company [N. J. affiliate) at Caracas. A Company
plane was dispatched and it ferried us to Caripito on April 25.
"We proceeded from Caripito to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, and were repatriated on the SS George Washington,
which left Trinidad on May 9 and land-, ed us at New York May 21, 1942.
"The 15 survivors in my group all arrived safe and well. From the moment when we first met the residents of
Blanquilla we had been given the best consideration, care, and assistance by everyone."
Lifeboats No. 3 and No. 4, with 29 men, remained in the vicinity of the sinking until morning. "In No. 4," Chief
Engineer Power said, "we decided that we stood a good chance of rescue if we stayed on the scene."
To return to the account of Second Cook Weiss-man, who was also in No. 4 boat:
"The next morning, April 17, at about 6:45 a.m., an Army sea patrol plane flew over and spotted us. At about
the same time we sighted a ship on the horizon. Summoned by the aircraft's wireless, she came and picked
us up, at 7:30 a.m. She was the Norwegian freighter SS Karmt. (This vessel, of 8,990 deadweight tons capacity,
was owned by Wrangel and Company, Haugesund; she was herself torpedoed and sunk in April, 1945.) We
went up the Jacob's ladder and a boom was then lowered and our lifeboat hoisted on deck."
Informed about boats No. 1 and No. 3 by the rescued men, the master of the Karmt made an immediate search
for the other two lifeboats. No. 3 was found at 8 a.m., April 17. As No. 1 was not located, it was decided-correctly
as it later developed-that it must have set sail for land. The destination of the, Karmt was Trinidad; she arrived
there with the 29 survivors from Nos. 3 and 4 boats at 11 a.m., April 18.
Second Cook Weissman continued:
"At Trinidad we were put up at the Merchant Marine Club, operated by the British authorities for the benefit of
survivors of torpedoed vessels. We were the second rescued crew to enjoy the hospitality of the Club-the first
was that of a Netherlands tanker. We were given food and clothing and were well cared for.
"We left Trinidad May 2 on the SS Yarmouth, owned by the Eastern Steamship Lines, Inc., for repatriation to
New York."

Captain Andrew Weiler was first employed by the Company on December 7, 1925, as an ordinary seaman.
He became a third mate December 30, 1928 and was promoted to master October 16, 1940. On leave of ab-
sence from March 21 to December 10, 1944, he commanded the War Emergency Tankers, Inc., former Esso
tanker S. B. Hunt.
Chief Engineer Ogden E. Power joined the Company as a junior engineer June 3, 1927. He was promoted to
chief engineer February 15, 1942.

The MS Heinrich v. Riedemann was built in 1930 by Bremer-Vulkan Schiffbau u. Maschinenfabrik, at Vegesack,
Germany. She was a sister ship of the Peter Hurll, F. H. Bedford, Jr., J. A. Mowinckel (damaged July 15, 1942),
and J. H. Senior (damaged August 19, 1943).
A twin-screw vessel of 17,650 deadweight tons capacity on international summer draft of 30 feet, 61/4 inches,
the Heinrich v. Riedemann had an overall length of 542 feet, a length between perpendiculars of 520 feet, a
moulded breadth of 70 feet, and a depth moulded of 38 feet, 9 inches. With a cargo carrying capacity of 139,515
barrels, she had an assigned pumping rate of 4,000 barrels an hour. Her Diesel engines developed 5,300 brake
horsepower and gave her a speed of 12.3 knots.

September 3, 1939, first day of war in Europe, found the Heinrich v. Riedemann at Baltimore, where she had
arrived September 1 to discharge a cargo of crude loaded at Aruba and Las Piedras. On September 2 her
German crew was taken off and replaced by an American crew. Captain Nicholas G. Kessaris became her
master and Chief Engineer Gustaf W. Hedlund was placed in charge of her engineroom.
Following a repair period, the Heinrich v. Riedemann again loaded at Aruba and Las Piedras, this time for Le
Havre, France, where she discharged 108,-022 barrels of crude oil, November 24 to December 2, 1939.
This was the Heinrich v. Riedemann's only wartime transatlantic voyage. After her return she remained in the
Western Hemisphere for the rest of her career. Loading exclusively in the Caribbean, she carried her cargoes
to east coast United States ports, Canada, South America, and, in a few cases, on short hauls to Caribbean
discharge ports.

Heard Distress Calls of Other Ships.
Captain James S. LeCain took command of the Heinrich v. Riedemann on October 27, 1941. He described
some narrow escapes the vessel experienced while he was with her:
"On February 27, 1942 we left Baltimore bound for Cartagena. We were traveling with two other ships. When
we were a few miles south of Miami a radio message informed us that there had been recent attacks on ship-
ping in the Windward Passage. The two other vessels continued on their course, going east of Cuba. The
Heinrich v. Riedemann headed around the west end of Cuba and through Yucatan Straits. The next morning
we heard the SOS calls of the two ships we had been with. They were being attacked in Windward Passage.
Both were sunk.
"We left Cartagena March 10, 1942 on the loaded leg. Off Jacksonville one of our engines broke down.
Traveling at reduced speed-we could make only 6 knots-we were overtaken and passed by three ships. At
about the time they were going out of sight we heard their distress calls. We never learned whether or not
any of them was sunk.
"I immediately ordered a change of course. Any submarine which might have seen us could have overhauled
us easily. Providentially a storm blew up. We headed eastward into it and made our getaway, concealed by
the rain. Taking full advantage of the Gulf Stream current we reached our destination, Charleston, S. C., in
safety."
Captain LeCain left the Heinrich v. Riedemann at New York on March 23, 1942; 24 days later, on her next
visit to the Caribbean, her luck ran out and she was sunk.

The wartime transportation record of the Heinrich v. Riedemann was in summary as follows:

Year
Voyages (Cargoes)
Barrels
1939
2
 212,096
1940
15
1,823,239
1941
16
1,840,009
1942
5
 564,666
Total
38
4,440,010

In command of the Heinrich v. Riedemann during the war years were Captains Nicholas G. Kessaris, Philip
H. Johnson, Herbert A. Nelson, George E. Christiansen, Chester S. Swanner, James S. LeCain, and Andrew
Weiler.
In charge of her engineroom for this period were Chief Engineers Gustaf W. Hedlund, Victor C. Gage, William
F. Kronisch, Cecil M. Guthrie, and Ogden E. Power.

Eight crew members of the Heinrich v. Riedemann survived the sinking or damage by enemy action of other
Esso or Panama Transport Company vessels:
Third Mate Joseph R. Acosta was on the Esso Aruba, torpedoed but not sunk, August 28, 1942; Second Cook
Isaac Weissman was steward of the Esso Gettysburg, sunk June 10, 1943; Junior Engineer Henry Nicol was
on the J. A. Moffett, Jr., sunk July 8, 1942;
Pumpman Jeremiah J. Donovan survived the sinking of the Allan Jackson, January 18, 1942; Machinist
Frank J. Grilz was on the Esso Providence, damaged August, 1943; Oiler Leonard C. Reeling that of the
H. H. Rogers, February 21, 1943; Able Seaman Joseph A. Arnold and Ordinary Seaman Walter A. Aubrey
were both able seamen on the J. A. Mowinckel, damaged by torpedoes and mines on July 15, 1942, but not
sunk.

Survivors of the "Heinrich v. Riedemann",  April 16, 1942:

Andrew Weiler
Master
Otto De Vries.
A.B.
Elmer L. Carty
Ch. Mate
Joseph A. Visinskas
A.B.
Wofford W. Tweed
2nd Mate
Anthony G. Zawacki
O.S.
Joseph R. Acosta ***
3rd Mate
Raymond P. De Freest
O.S.
Ogden E. Power
Ch. Engr.
William J. Lawless, Jr.
O.S.
Lester W. Pilkington
1st Asst,
Walter A. Aubrey
O.S.
George W. Simpson
. 2nd Asst.
Frank J. Grilz
Mach.
John C. Fox, Jr.
3rd Asst.
Darrell D. Starkey
Oiler
Clifford E. Lindsey
Jr. Engr.
John J. Tobin
Oiler
Axel V. Carlson
Jr. Engr.
Leonard C. Reeling.
Oiler
Henry Nicol
Jr. Engr.
Raymond 0. Asplund
Stkpr.
Charles C. Youngs
Radio Op.
Joseph J. Annapolin.
Fire.-W.T.
James J. Forster
Elect.
Julius F. Bolz
Fire.-W.T.
Manuel J. Lopez
Steward
Charles Gallagher
Fire.-W.T.
Jesse F. Williams, Jr.
Ch. Cook
Joseph Sawicki
Wiper
Otto H. Storm
Bos'n
James H. Graves
Wiper
Jeremiah J. Donovan
Pumpman
Anthony Lupo
Wiper
Adam A. Kosinski
A.B.
Isaac Weissman
2nd Cook
Ernest Bossert
A.B.
Joseph S. Ladzinski
O.M.
Odrian D. James
A.B.
Paul L. Taylor
P.O.M.
Lace L. May .
A.B.
Charles Schaub
C.M.
Joseph A. Arnold
A.B.
Charley B. Daniell
U.M.
*** Then known as Jose A. Rodriguez.