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Charles Pratt - (1916-1940)
See also : BOUND FOR FREEDOM & S.S. CHARLES PRATT ( Newport News Shipbuilding publication )
"Charles Pratt". Starboard side view underway.( Photo G. Hague )
In March, 1916, Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company launched the SS H.H. Charles Pratt, a tanker of 8,807
tons with a capacity of 119,410 barrels of oil. It became the first ship of the Pratt class, and was joined by the S.S. H.H. Rogers
in May, 1916. Both ships were operated by Panama Transport Co., a subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey after 1939.
At the beginning of World War II, on December 21, 1940, the S.S. Charles Pratt was torpedoed and sunk by a German u-boat
in the Indian Ocean 220 miles off the coast of Africa while en route from Aruba to Freeport, Sierra Leone. Of the American
crew of 42, 2 lives were lost and 40 saved.
Steamship tanker S.S. Charles Pratt.
Tanker was named after :
Charles Pratt.
Charles Pratt ( 2 October, 1830 - 4 May, 1891 ) was a United States capitalist, businessman and philanthropist.
Pratt was a pioneer of the U.S. petroleum industry, and established his kerosene refinery Astral Oil Works in Brooklyn,
New York. Pratt's product later gave rise to the slogan, "The holy lamps of Tibet are primed with Astral Oil." He recruited Henry
H. Rogers into his business, forming Charles Pratt and Company, which became part of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil in 1874.
Pratt became an advocate of education, and founded and endowed the Pratt Institute which bears his name. He and his children
built mansions on what became known as the Gold Coast of Long Island, New York. In 1916, Standard Oil had a steamship tanker,
S.S. Charles Pratt, first of its class, built at Newport News, Virginia.
"Charles Pratt".
| SS CHARLES PRATT Home Port: Panama, R.P.
Company: Panama Transport Co. (Standard Oil of N.J.)
Master: Eric R. Blomquist
Built: Newport News, VA 1916
Gross Tons: 8982
Capacity: 119,410
Dimensions: 516'x 68'x 38'
The Panamanian flag tanker, SS CHARLES PRATT, was torpedoed without warning by the German U-68 (H.G von Stockhausen) at 1455 local time on December 21, 1940 in position 8-26 N./16-51 W. while en route from Aruba to Freetown with a cargo of 96,069 barrels of Fuel Oil. This attack took place almost a year before Pearl Harbor. The PRA TF was about 220 miles from Freetown, Sierra Leone. She was unarmed and flying the flag of a neutral nation. At the time of the attack in broad daylight, the flag of Panama was flying from the stem, the stack was marked with the Panama Transport insignia, and the Panamanian flag was painted on both sides of the hull.
The ship was manned by an American crew of 42 men. Two of the crew were lost. On October 20, 1939 the registry of this ship was changed from the U.S. to Panama but kept the American crew.
The first torpedo hit on the starboard side at #6 tank blowing out the bulkheads in #6 main tank and #4 summer tank and also the deck plates in the way of the pumproom. The explosion showered oil and debris clear to the top of the mast and over the boat and poop deck. The ship caught fire at once and burning oil flowed into the starboard alleyway. Steam smothering lines were opened but to no avail as all lines were destroyed in the pumproom.
As the fire was gaining, the Master ordered abandon ship.Lifeboats #2 & #4 were launched. After the ship had been abandoned a second torpedo struck just forward of the midship house blowing burning oil and debris several hundred feet in the air and showering the ocean with oil and steel fragments, some just missing #2 boat. This explosion put out the fire. The Chief Mate was picked up 40 minutes after the ship was abandoned by #2 boat which was in charge of the Master. He had been blown overboard by the explosion along with an Ordinary Seaman. The Chief Mate suffered various injuries including a broken leg. The Ordinary Seaman was never found.
Lifeboat #2 was picked up on December 25th at 1350 local time by the MV GASCONY and landed at Freetown. Boat #4 was picked up by the SS LANGLEEGORSE on December 26th and landed at Freetown.
The U-65 was sunk on April 28, 1941 by HMS GLADIOLUS (K-34) in position 60-04 N./15-45 W. Commanding Officer of U-65 was Joachim Hoppe. There were no survivors.
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Surviving Crewmen from American Tanker S.S. "Charles Pratt". No names are known.
Text with photo :
SURVIVORS OF "CHARLES PRATT" RETURN
Bayonne, N.J. -- Surviving crewmen from the American S.S. "Charles Pratt", sunk by a mine off the West coast of Africa, Dec 21, land at Port Bayonne after being returned to the US aboard the Standard Oil tanker "Standard". They were afloat in the ship's boats for six days before being rescued; two of the crew were lost.
( 03/20/1941 )
( Newspaper photo )
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Additional Info by Starke & Schell Registers :
1916 - CHARLES PRATT USA 2T (aft) (10½)
10,050 GRT for Standard Oil Co. (New Jersey), Bayonne / New York, 500.0 x 68.0
Tanker build by Newport News SB. & DD. Co., Newport News, Va., (3), #186, 213899
1927 - Standard Shipping Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del.
1935 - Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, Wilmington, Del.
1939 - Panama Transport Co., Panama, PA
Torpedoed and sunk by U 65, 21 Dec 1940, in 08.26 N-16.50 W,
voyage Aruba - Freetown, fuel oil
The Miramar Ship Index for "CHARLES PRATT"
IDNo:
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2213899
|
Year:
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1916
|
Name:
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CHARLES PRATT
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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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12.02.1916
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Flag:
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USA
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Date of completion:
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03.1916
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Tons:
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10050
|
Link:
|
-
|
DWT:
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21250
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Yard No:
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186
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Length overall:
|
|
Ship Design:
|
|
LPP:
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152.4
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Country of build:
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USA
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Beam:
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20.7
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Builder:
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Newport News SB
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Material of build:
|
|
Location of yard:
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Newport News
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Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
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2T-10.5
|
|
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Subsequent History:
-
Disposal Data:
Torpedoed and sunk 8.26 N / 16.50 W on 21.12.1940 (2 dead).
History:
ON
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LR/IMO
|
ID
|
Year
|
Name
|
Tons
|
Change
|
Registered Owner
|
213899
|
|
2213899
|
1916
|
CHARLES PRATT
|
10050
|
|
Standard Oil Co of New Jersey
|
213899
|
|
2213899
|
1916
|
CHARLES PRATT
|
10050
|
1927
|
Standard Sg Co Inc.
|
213899
|
|
2213899
|
1916
|
CHARLES PRATT
|
10050
|
1935
|
Standard Oil Co of New Jersey Inc.
|
|
|
2213899
|
1916
|
CHARLES PRATT
|
10050
|
1939
|
Panama Tpt Co.
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Additional information from Uboat.net :
Name: Charles Pratt
Type: Steam tanker
Tonnage: 8.982 tons
Completed: 1916 - Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Newport News
Owner: Panama Transport Co (Standard Oil Co), Panama
Homeport: Panama
Date of attack: 21 Dec, 1940
Nationality: Panaman
Fate: Sunk by U-65 (Hans-Gerrit von Stockhausen)
Position: 08.26N, 16.50W - Grid ET 2753
- See location on a map -
Complement: 42 (2 dead and 40 survivors).
Convoy: -
Route: Aruba - Freetown
Cargo: 96.069 barrels of fuel oil
History: On 20 Oct, 1939, the registry of Charles Pratt was changed from US to Panama, but she kept her American crew.
Notes on loss:
At 16.05 hours on 21 Dec, 1940, the unescorted, unarmed and neutral flagged Charles Pratt (Master Eric R. Blomquist)
was torpedoed without warning by U-65 about 220 miles off Freetown. One torpedo hit on the starboard side at # 6 tank blowing out the
bulkheads in # 6 main tank and # 4 summer tank and also the deck plates in the way of the pumproom. The blast showered oil and debris
clear to the top of the mast and over the boat and poop deck. The tanker caught fire at once and burning oil flowed into the starboard
alleyway. Steam smothering lines were opened but to no avail as all lines were destroyed in the pumproom.
The survivors abandoned ship immediately in two lifeboats. The abandoned ship was then struck by a second torpedo just forward of the
midship house blowing burning oil and debris several hundred feet in the air and showering the water with oil and steel fragments, some
just missing a lifeboat. The second explosion put out the fire but sank the ship at once. The chief mate, who suffered various injuries in-
cluding a broken leg was picked up after 40 minutes in the water, he and an ordinary seaman had been blown overboard by the explosion,
but the other man was never found.
On 25 December, the survivors in the first boat were picked up by the British motor merchant Gascony and landed at Freetown. On
26 December, the survivors in the other boat were picked up by the British steam merchant Langleegorse and were also landed at
Freetown.