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Ario - (1920-1931)
"Ario". Inbound. November 10th, 1941.( Photo US Coast Guard )
"Ario".Outbound. February 2nd, 1942.( Photo US Coast Guard )
Ario - 1920
LOA 435 ', Beam 56 ', Depth 33 ' 6 ", 10,770 DWT, 76,281 bbls Triple expansion engine 48" stroke 2600 IHP.
Launched 21 February and commissioned 5 April 1920 at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Sparrows Point, Maryland. Ario stayed close to the US for the first three years of her career. Then she went world-wide for three years, finally settling down in 1926 to the well-worn seaway between the oil coast of Texas and the northeastern US.
That seaway turned vicious when WWII spread to America, and on 15 March 1942, while rounding Cape Lookout, North Carolina, Ario was torpedoed and sunk with the loss of eight lives.
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Small photo of the "Ario" she was build in 1920 and lost in 1942 after being torpedoed.
Additional Info by Starke & Schell Registers :
ARIO - 1920 USA 1T (aft) (10½)
6,952 GRT for Standard Transportation Co., Inc., New York 435.6 x 56.2
Tanker build by Bethlehem SB. Corp., Sparrow's Point, Md. (4) #4202 219798
1931 - Standard-Vacuum Transportation Co., Inc., New York
1935 - Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc., New York
Torpedoed, shelled and sunk by U 158, 15 March 1942, in 34.37 N - 76.20 W, voyage New York - Corpus Christi, in ballast.
The Miramar Ship Index for "ARIO"
IDNo:
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2219798
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Year:
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1920
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Name:
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ARIO
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Keel:
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Type:
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Tanker
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Launch Date:
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Flag:
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USA
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Date of completion:
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04.1920
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Tons:
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6952
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Link:
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-
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DWT:
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Yard No:
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4202
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Length overall:
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Ship Design:
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LPP:
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132.8
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Country of build:
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USA
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Beam:
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17.1
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Builder:
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Bethlehem SB Corp.
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Material of build:
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Location of yard:
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Sparrows Point
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Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
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1T-10.5
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Subsequent History:
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Disposal Data:
Torpedoed, shelled and sunk (U-158) 34.37 N / 76.20 W on 15.3.42 (8*) [ Voyage New York-Corpus Christi, ballast ]
History:
ON
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LR/IMO
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ID
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Year
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Name
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Tons
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Change
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Registered Owner
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219798
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2219798
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1920
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ARIO
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6952
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Standard Tptn., .,Inc.
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219798
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2219798
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1920
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ARIO
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6952
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1931
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Standard-Vacuum Tptn., Co., Inc.
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219798
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2219798
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1920
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ARIO
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6952
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1935
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Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc.
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Additional information from Uboat.net :
Name
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Ario
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Type:
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Steam tanker
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Tonnage
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6,952 tons
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Completed
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1920 - Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp, Sparrow´s Point MD
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Owner
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Socony-Vacuum Oil Co Inc, New York
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Homeport
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New York
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Date of attack
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15 Mar 1942
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Nationality: American
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Fate
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Sunk by U-158 (Erwin Rostin)
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Position
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34° 37'N, 76° 20'W - Grid DC 1159
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Complement
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34 (8 dead and 26 survivors).
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Convoy
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Route
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New York (11 Mar) - Corpus Christi, Texas
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Cargo
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Water ballast
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History
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-
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Notes on event
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At 07.22 hours on 15 March 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Ario (Master Thorolf R. Hannevig) was 11 miles southwest of the Cape Lookout Buoy and had to change her course, because a small vessel crossed the port bow. So the tanker was not steering a zigzag course, when she was struck three minutes later by a torpedo from U-158 on the starboard side at #9 tank. The radio operator sent a distress signal and received an answer. The master ordered the ship abandoned, but before any of the boats could be launched the U-boat opened fire at the vessel. For 30 minutes the ship was shelled with 40 rounds, while the crew of eight officers and 26 crewmen cleared the ship. The #3 boat containing 12 men was struck by a shell before it reached the water, killing five men, while two others were picked up by another lifeboat but died of injuries and one man died later in hospital. U-158 closed in to view the vessel and almost collided with a lifeboat before leaving the area.
Later the master, the chief mate, the second mate, the chief engineer and an able seaman reboarded the Ario to check for possible salvage, but the vessel was in sinking condition. After seven hours the survivors were picked up by the USS Du Pont (DD 152) and landed at Charleston. One officer and seven men died in the attack.
The Ario was still afloat when last seen at 18.30 hours on 15 March. She finally sank in shallow water about 10 miles east of Cape Lookout in 34°14N/76°27W.
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Map
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