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ON TENNESSEE REEF
MS J.A. Moffett Jr.
On june 12, 1942, six days after the conclusion of the decisive Battle of Midway, the Esso tanker J. A. Moffett, Jr. left Baltimore, Md., in ballast, bound for Port Arthur, Texas. After a run over the degaussing range in Chesapeake Bay, she anchored in Lynnhaven Roads and awaited sailing instructions.
Early in the morning of June 26 the vessel left the Roads in convoy. The following day her officers witnessed the first misfortune of the voyage; a tanker, off the port bow of their ship, was struck by a torpedo or mine.
On the morning of the 28th the J. A. Moffett, Jr. developed engine trouble. Forced to leave the formation, she proceeded without escort to Wilmington, N. C., arriving at about 3:30 p.m.
When repairs to her starboard motor were completed, on July 4, the J. A. Moffett, Jr. sailed for her original destination. She had protection as far as Charleston, S. C., and then continued her voyage alone.
Hit Twice, Then Shelled
At 12:15 a.m. on July 8, when the tanker was at Latitude 24°47' North, Longitude 80°42' West, or approximately three miles south by west of Tennessee Reef in the Florida Straits, a heavy detonation was heard on the port side and the general alarm was sounded. About 20 minutes afterward a second torpedo struck, forcing the decision of the master to abandon the ship.
The enemy submarine surfaced about 1,500 feet away at about 12:50 a.m. and began shelling the J. A. Moffett, Jr., setting the midship section afire. The tanker finally grounded in 35 feet of water.
The master of the vessel lost his life. All the other members of her merchant crew, 36 in number, and the 5 U.S. Navy gunners, survived.
The MS J. A. Moffett, Jr. was built in 1921 by the Federal Shipbuilding Company at Kearny, N.J. One of her sisterships was the E. T. Bedford; both were built as steamships but were later converted to motor vessels. Other sisterships were the E. J. Sadler, E. M. dark, and Walter Jennings.
A twin-screw vessel of 15,620 deadweight tons capacity on international summer draft of 28 feet, 9 1/4 inches, the J. A. Moffett, Jr. had an overall length of 516 feet, 6 inches, a length between perpendiculars of 500 feet, a moulded breadth of 68 feet, and a depth moulded of 38 feet, 10 1/4 inches. With a cargo carrying capacity of 119,414 barrels, she had an assigned pumping rate of 4,500 barrels an hour.
Her Diesel engines developed 3,600 brake horsepower and gave her a classification certified speed of 10.7 knots.
On September 3, 1939 the J. A. Moffett, Jr. was undergoing repairs in New7 York; she was in dry dock from September 14 to 16.
Her first wartime voyage began on September 21. Under the command of Captain Garden Dwyer and with Chief Engineer Harold A. Morris in charge of her engineroom, the J. A. Moffett, Jr. left New York for Aransas Pass, Texas, where she loaded 115,416 barrels of crude oil consigned to Boston. For the rest of the year the vessel remained on coastwise runs; loading in Gulf ports, she discharged two more cargoes at Boston and one at New York.
In 1940 she carried 22 cargoes, twenty-one consisting of crude and one of fuel oil. Six cargoes were lifted at Gulf ports, four at Las Piedras, five at Cartagena, two at Aruba, three at Caripito, and one each at Guiria and Puerto La Cruz. During the year she delivered 2,339,919 barrels of oil.
In 1941 the J. A. Moffett, Jr. loaded ten times at Texas ports, twice at Cartagena, and once at Las Piedras. On thirteen voyages, two cargoes were discharged at Boston, eight at New York, two at Baltimore, and one at Montreal.
She started her next and last year by taking on 113,332 barrels of crude oil at Texas City, whence she sailed on January 9, 1942, for New York. In all, the vessel delivered four cargoes in 1942 before grounding on Tennessee Reef as a result of enemy action.
The masters of the J. A. Moffett, Jr. in the war years were Captains Garden Dwyer, Philipp Wulfken, Eric R. Blom-quist, Walter F. Andrews, Charles M. Crowell, William J. Manning, Elden M. MacCabe, Gunnar Gjertsen, and Patrick S. Mahony.
In charge of her engineroom during the same period were Chief Engineers Harold A. Morris, Harry L. Hovland, Otto L. Hart, Walter H. Berg, James F. Maher, and Bernhard R. F. Olsson.
The wartime transportation record of the J. A. Moffett, Jr. was in summary as follows:
The J. A. Moffett, Jr. was a lucky ship in the early part of the war. She saw several other vessels go down but managed to avoid disaster until the night of July 7-8, 1942.
The principal first hand account of the vessel's last trip is a joint report by Chief Mate Bertrand E. Powell and Chief Engineer Bernhard R. F. Olsson:
"On June 12, we sailed from Baltimore, Md., in ballast, bound for a Gulf port to load. We had an American crew of 37, including Captain Patrick S. Mahony who was in command, and an armed guard of 5 U. S. Navy gunners. We had a 4-inch gun aft and two machine guns atop the bridge - one on each wing. The tanker was always entirely blacked out during the hours of darkness.
 Water pours from torpedo hole in port side of the "J. A. Moffett Jr." as ship is drydocked for survey.
"Early in the morning of June 26 we proceeded in convoy from Lynnhaven Roads. The weather was fine with a calm sea.
"About 11 a.m. on June 27 a Canadian flag tanker, off our port side and slightly ahead, was hit by a torpedo or mine on her starboard side. We saw the crew abandon and later reboard their vessel, which left the formation under patrol escort.
"Second Assistant Engineer Robert H. Stephen (who later joined the Navy at Wilmington and was replaced there), at about 2:30 a.m. on the 28th, reported to Chief Engineer Olsson that there was a noise within No. 2 piston skirt on the starboard engine. After the chief engineer investigated, he went to the bridge and recommended to Captain Mahony that the tanker should put into the nearest port. When Chief Engineer Olsson returned to the engine-room, he was told by the first and second assistant engineers that a telescope pipe on No. 4 piston, port engine, was broken.
"At 7:30 a.m. we reported our condition to the convoy commander and told him we would have to put in for repairs. The commander acknowledged our message, but said we would have to proceed to port without escort. We dropped out of formation and shaped a course towards Wilmington, N. C., sixty miles northwest, arriving there about 3:30 p.m. on June 28.
"On July 4, we sailed from Wilmington with routing instructions from the U. S. Navy authorities and under escort of two Canadian corvettes, which we were told would accompany us as far as Charleston, when we could join up with any southbound convoy we met, or, if we found none, proceed on our own in accordance with routing orders. About 11 a.m. on the 5th, when we arrived off Charleston Sea Buoy, the two escort vessels left us and we continued on alone.
In Florida Waters
"We were in the Florida Straits by midnight of July 7. A sea was running and the weather was fine and clear; there was no moon, but the night was bright and without haze. On the bridge were Second Mate Chester L. Reynolds, with Foike Anderson, A.B., at the wheel. James M. Cox, A.B., had lookout duty on the foc'sle head and Carlyle L. Harrison, O.S., was lookout atop the bridge.
"In the engineroom were Second Assistant Engineer John J. Brennan, who had replaced Robert H. Stephen at Wilmington, Third Assistant Engineer Clifford V. Womack, Junior Engineer Henry Nicol, Machinist Oliver V. Murdock, Oiler Joseph H. Alkire, and Wiper Charles ;M. Kennedy. Radio Operator George W. Sublette was at his post."
Chief Mate Powell and Chief Engineer Olsson were asleep when the first torpedo struck. Second Mate Reynolds, who was on watch, reported as follows:
"At 12:15 a.m. we had just passed Tennessee Reef when the first torpedo struck the J. A. Moffett, Jr. in way of No. 2 tank, port side. Second Assistant Engineer Brennan stopped the engines in accordance with previous instructions.
"Captain Mahony was in the chart room at the time with Third Mate Lewe F. Faust. I immediately turned in the general alarm and the captain came out and asked how badly we were hit. When I told him I did not know, he gave the order: 'Put her on hard right and see if we can beach her.' Able Seaman An-derson stood by at the wheel. The lifeboats had been swung out in readiness for a possible attack."
To continue the joint affidavit of the chief mate and the chief engineer:
"When the general alarm was sounded. Chief Mate Powell proceeded to the bridge and Chief Engineer Olsson went to the engineroom, where he found that both main engines had been stopped. The Navy armed guard manned the guns and made ready to fire at the first sight of the submarine. Radio Operator Sublette, acting on instructions, sent out distress messages giving our position.
"At about 12:35 a.m., a second torpedo struck in the vicinity of No. 8 tank, port side. The tanker then had a port list and was turning. When the list increased, the order was given to abandon ship.
 Close-up of the gaping hole torn in the ship's side, which forced the tanker's abandonment in the Florida Straits.
Loss of the Master
"Captain Mahony lost his life while helping to launch No. 2 lifeboat. No. 4 boat was lowered at this time and Nos. 1 and 3 were launched soon afterward. All the merchant crew and three of the Navy gunners got away in these lifeboats. Two members of the armed guard jumped overboard and were later picked up.
"At 12:50 a.m., fifteen minutes after the second torpedo hit, the submarine surfaced about 1,500 feet from the J. A. Moffett, Jr. and shelled the vessel for about five minutes. The U-boat scored several hits on the port side and set the midship house afire."
Second Mate Reynolds reported the cause of Captain Mahony's death:
"After the second torpedo explosion, I asked a man coming down the ladder from the flying bridge, 'Where is the captain?' He replied, 'The captain is helping to launch No. 2 boat.' I had just issued orders to have No. 1 lifeboat stand by and I hurried around the boat deck to No. 2 boat's position on the port side.
"From what I saw, I feel sure that the forward boat fall became loose on the forward davit cleats,
causing the forward end of No. 2 lifeboat to drop suddenly with great force. Captain Mahony evidently was caught in the falls and thrown into the sea. When the first torpedo struck, a large volume of water engulfed both forward lifeboats and therefore No. 2 boat was considerably heavier than it normally would be. Able Seaman Anderson escaped from the lifeboat while it was hanging on the after falls and he and I went over to No. 1 lifeboat."
Picked Up by Coast Guard Boats
Returning to the account given by the chief mate and the chief engineer:
"At 2:30 a.m., after Nos. 1, 3, and 4 boats had got away, a plane flew overhead and, at about 3 a.m., two privately owned boats manned by the Coast Guard came out and rescued the 41 survivors - 36 merchant crew members and the 5 Navy gunners. The Coast Guard also picked up the body of Captain Mahony.
"One of the rescue vessels stood by the J. A. Moffett, Jr. The other landed the survivors at Craig, Florida. From there, on July 8, they were taken to Key West. The next day, the 36 members of the merchant crew went by bus to Miami. Thirty men left by train on the llth and were in New York on July 12; the remaining six arrived in New York July 14."
To complete the story. Second Mate Reynolds added:
"Peter Opacich, one of the Navy gunners, was picked out of the sea the next morning by one of the Coast Guard vessels. He could not swim, and had been floating in his life jacket. He told me he had been washed overboard when the second torpedo struck. After he was in the water he saw something lying close to the surface. He thought at first that it was a lifeboat and started to kick his feet in order to get to it. He said he got within 100 feet when he heard some commands given in German. He then realized it was a German submarine and kept still."
Steward Marcelino Tirado, who was awakened from a deep sleep by the first torpedo, gave the following account in an interview for this history:
"I stumbled out of my room and was up on deck in about two minutes. The chief mate and third mate, together with a large group of men, were lowering No. 1 boat. The captain ordered that no more men were to get into it and told me and three or four others to follow him to the port side, to launch No. 2 boat. While he was helping to launch the lifeboat it slipped. The captain was caught in the fall and thrown overboard. This was the last we saw of him alive."
Salvage
Mr. Guy L. Bennett, now Assistant Manager of the Port of New York Office, arrived at Miami as Company representative on July 9 and went to Marathon, Fla., where he was met by a Coast Guard patrol boat and put aboard the wrecked vessel. Chief Mate Powell, Chief Engineer Olsson, and Boatswain John P. Tully accompanied him on his inspection. Captain E. B. Mumford, salvage officer of the Merritt-Chap-man & Scott Corporation, was on board the J. A. Moffett, Jr., directing salvage operations. The corporation's tug Willett was standing by.
Damage Report
Captain Mumford's report included the following:
"Cargo hold, fore peak, and Nos. 1 and 2 center cargo tanks ripped from bottom to top by torpedo; Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6 center tanks good; Nos. 7, 8, 9, and 10 tanks torpedoed and shelled from bottom to top; port subway from forward to aft shelled, bottom and sides blown out; all compartments full aft; conditions very unfavorable."
Refloated - Scrapped
On July 11, Mr. Bennett, after completing his survey of the stricken tanker, reported his findings to the New York office of the Marine Department and a notice of abandonment was tendered to the WarShipping Administration as the insurers of the vessel.
Subsequently, the J. A. Moffett, Jr. was floated by Merritt-Chapman & Scott at the direction of the War Shipping Administration and towed to Galveston, where she was stripped of all remaining usable gear and equipment. The hulk
was then sold by the Government as scrap.
Captain Patrick S. Mahony joined the Company as a third mate on July 24, 1926. He became a chief mate on September 16, 1933 and was promoted to master July 24, 1936.
Chief Engineer Bernhard R. F. Olsson entered the Company's service as a third assistant engineer on January 22, 1926. He became a first assistant engineer on January 27, 1930, and was promoted to chief engineer May 13, 1937.
Captain Mahony was the fourth of six Esso men honored by the United States Maritime Commission in naming Liberty ships for merchant officers and seamen lost as a result of enemy action. The SS Patrick S. Mahony was sponsored by Captain Mahony's widow when the vessel was launched at the J. A. Jones Construction Company's yard, Brunswick, Ga., on February 10, 1945.
Four members of the crew of the J. A. Moffett, Jr. on July 8, 1942, were on other tankers torpedoed and sunk during- World War II: Junior Engineer Henry Nicol (Heinrich v. Riedemann, April 16, 1942) ; Steward Marcelino Tirado (Esso Harrisburg, July 6, 1944) ; Able Seaman Russell L. Menapace (E. M. Clark, March 18, 1942) ; and Machinist Oliver V. Murdock (Esso Baton Rouge, February 23, 1943).
Merchant Crew Lost on the "J. A. Moffett, Jr." - July 8, 1942
Merchant Crew Survivors of the "J. A. Moffett, Jr."
U.S. Navy Armed Guard Survivors of the "J. A. Moffett, Jr."
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