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ESSO International Tankers 1910-1919
H. H. Rogers - (1916-1943)
See also : SUNK IN CONVOY & The Irish Ships Wreck Site & German Records off the Attack on the SS "H. H. Rogers"

See also : S.S. H.H. ROGERS   ( Newport News Shipbuilding publication  )
 "H. H. Rogers" during WW2 inbound, September 30th, 1942.
( Photo US Coast Guard )
 "H. H. Rogers" during WW2 anchored, May 23rd, 1941.
( Photo US Coast Guard )
SS "H. H. Rogers", sunk off Irish coast, all hands saved.
 
"H. H. Rogers", transferred to Panama, in 1940.
 
"H. H. Rogers", transferred to Panama, in 1940.
 
"H. H. Rogers", transferred to Panama, in 1940.
 
"H. H. Rogers", transferred to Panama, in 1940.

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 )

 "H. H. Rogers", transferred to Panama, in 1940.
 "H. H. Rogers", transferred to Panama, in 1940.

Tanker was named after :
         
Henry H. Rogers.

Henry Huttleston Rogers (January 29 1840 – May 19 1909), was a United States capitalist, businessman, industrialist,
financier, and philanthropist. He was one of the key men in John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Trust. He later developed
the Virginian Railway, while one of his Standard Oil associates, Henry Morrison Flagler developed the Florida East Coast
Railway. Both railroads formed part of today's US rail network.

About the Ship
Built by Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Virginia, 1916. 10,050 gross tons; 500 (bp) feet long; 68 feet wide.
Steam Triple Expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 10.5 knots. Tanker, yard hull 187, USA registration 214066.

Ship History
Built for Standard Oil of New Jersey, American flag, in 1916 and named H.H. Rogers.
Tampico and other Mexican ports to New York and other US ports service. Capacity 119,390 barrels.
Torpedoed and sunk on Liverpool to New York voyage with ballast in 1943.

 SS H.H. ROGERS
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.

Additional Info by Starke & Schell Registers :

1916 - H. H. ROGERS     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.  (5),  #187,  214066
1927 - Standard Shipping Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del.
1935 - Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, Wilmington, Del.
1940 - Panama Transport Co., Panama, PA
Torpedoed and sunk by U 664, 21 Feb 1943, in 50.30 N-24.38 W,
voyage Liverpool - New York, in ballast.

The Miramar Ship Index for "H.H. ROGERS"
IDNo:
2214066
Year:
1916
Name:
H.H. ROGERS
Keel:
Type:
Tanker
Launch Date:
28.04.1916
Flag:
USA
Date of completion:
05.1916

Tons:
10050
Link:
-
DWT:
15955
Yard No:
187
Length overall:
Ship Design:
LPP:
152.4
Country of build:
USA
Beam:
20.7
Builder:
Newport News SB
Material of build:
Location of yard:
Newport News
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
2T-10.5

Subsequent History:
-

Disposal Data:
Torpedoed in 50.13 N / 24.48 W on 21.02.1943 & sank 22.02.1943 in 50.30 N / 24.38 W
[ Voyage Liverpool-New York, ballast ]

History:
ON
LR/IMO
ID
Year
Name
Tons
Change
Registered Owner
214066
2214066
1916
H.H. ROGERS
10050
Standard Oil Co (New Jersey)
214066
2214066
1916
H.H. ROGERS
10050
1927
Standard Sg Co Inc.
214066
2214066
1916
H.H. ROGERS
10050
1935
Standard Oil Co of New Jersey Inc.
2214066
1916
H.H. ROGERS
10050
1940
Panama Tpt Co.

Additional information from Uboat.net :

Name: H.H. Rogers
Type: Steam tanker
Tonnage: 8.807 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 Feb, 1943
Nationality: Panaman
Fate: Sunk by U-664 (Adolf Graef)
Position: 50.30 N, 24.38 W - Grid BE 1171
- See location on a map -
Complement: 73 (0 dead and 73 survivors).
Convoy: ONS-167
Route: Liverpool (12 Feb) - Belfast (14 Feb) - USA
Cargo: Ballast
History: Built as American H.H. Rogers for Standard Oil of New Jersey, Wilmington
1940 transferred to Panama Transport Co, Panama
Notes on loss:
At 21.35 hours on 21 Feb, 1943, U-664 fired torpedoes at the convoy ONS-167 about 550 miles west of Fastnet, Ireland
and reported three hits on a steamer and one on a tanker. The ships hit were Rosario in station #11 and H.H. Rogers in station #13.
The H.H. Rogers (Master Clinton W. Hayes) was struck by one torpedo on the port side around #10 main tank rupturing the tank, the
decks in the vicinity and the fireroom bulkhead. This resulted in the engine and fire rooms flooding. After 30 minutes, the officers decided
that the ship could not be saved and the order to abandon ship was given. All 47 American crew members and 26 armed guards
abandoned ship in three lifeboats (one lifeboat had been destroyed in the explosion) and all rafts. One of the lifeboats picked up several
survivors from the Rosario, which had been in the water for about one hour.
Almost all survivors were picked up by the British rescue ship Rathlin and landed at Halifax on 6 March. Four men on a raft were picked
up by a British corvette and landed at St.Johns on 1 March. The wreck of the tanker was later sunk by U-664 with a coup de
grâce in 50°13N/24°48W.

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 U-664 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.