Text with photos :
FLAG OF PANAMA was hoisted Shortly before noon today at the stern of the Standard Oil tanker H. H. Rogers following her transfer from American registry to the Republic of Panama.
( Newspaper photo )
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Home Port: Panama City, R.P.
Company: Panama Transport Co. (Standard Oil of New Jersey)
Master: Clinton W. Hayes
Built: Newport News, Va. 1916
Gross Tons: 8807
Dimensions: 516' x 68' x 38'
Capacity: 119,390 barrels
The Panamanian flag tanker, H.H. ROGERS, was torpedoed by the German U-664 (Adolph Graef) at 1940 local time on February 21, 1943 while en route from Liverpool to a U.S. port in Convoy ONS 167 (#13) in ballast. The attack took place about 600 miles west of the Irish coast in position 50-13 N./24-48 W.
On board was an American merchant crew of 47 and a U.S. Naval Armed Guard crew of 26. All were saved.
The ROGERS had just completed a voyage from New York to Liverpool where she delivered 83,366 barrels of Fuel Oil plus a cargo of war materials. She left Liverpool on February 12th, stopping at Belfast and leaving that port on the 14th.
At 1935 local time, an American freighter, the SS ROSARIO, in position #11, was torpedoed. At 1940, the same U664 that had sunk the ROSARIO attacked the ROGERS. A torpedo hit on the port side around #10 main tank rupturing the tank and the decks in that vicinity and the fireroom bulkhead. This resulted in the engine and fire rooms flooding. Boat #4 was blown overboard.
After a consultation with the Chief Mate and 1st Engineer, the Master agreed that the ship could not be saved. About a half hour after the attack, the Master ordered the ship abandoned.
Three boats and all the rafts were launched. Boat #3 first followed by #1 and #2. Crew members in #3 boat picked up several of the survivors from the ROSARIO who had been in the water for an hour. Four men on a raft were rescued by one of the British corvettes. All others in the boats and rafts rowed to the rescue ship RATHLIN where they were taken aboard. Those on the RATHLIN were landed at Halifax on March 6th. The four men on the British corvette were landed at St. Johns, Newfoundland on March 1st.
The U-664 (Adolf Graef) was sunk west of the Azores on August 9, 1943 by aircraft from the USS CARD (CVE 11) in position 40-12 N./37-29 W. Eight men were lost and 44 taken prisoner.
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IDNo:
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2214066
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Year:
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1916
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Name:
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H.H. ROGERS
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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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28.04.1916
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Flag:
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USA
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Date of completion:
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05.1916
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Tons:
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10050
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Link:
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-
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DWT:
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15955
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Yard No:
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187
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Length overall:
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Ship Design:
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||
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:
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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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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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214066
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2214066
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1916
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H.H. ROGERS
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10050
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Standard Oil Co (New Jersey)
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214066
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2214066
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1916
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H.H. ROGERS
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10050
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1927
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Standard Sg Co Inc.
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214066
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2214066
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1916
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H.H. ROGERS
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10050
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1935
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Standard Oil Co of New Jersey Inc.
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2214066
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1916
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H.H. ROGERS
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10050
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1940
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Panama Tpt Co.
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