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Arriaga - (1940-1942)
Wreck of the MS "Arriaga" (ex. "Petroheat", ex. "Dolomite 3") after sub-marine attack and shortly before the tanker sank.
MS ARRIAGA
Home Port: Panama, R.P.
Company: Lago Petroleum Corp.
Master: Gunnar Gjertsen
Built: Rochester, NY 1940
Gross Tons: 2345
Dimensions: 300' x 43' x 23'
Former Names: (a) DOLOMITE 3 (b) PETROHEAT
The MS ARRIAGA, a small oil tanker, was purchased by the Lago Petroleum Corporation (subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey) on April 2, 1942 from the Dolomite 3 Corporation, a subsidiary of Petroleum Heat and Power Company of Baltimore. The vessel was registered under the flag of Panama but carried an American crew.
The Panamanian flag tanker, MS ARRIAGA, was torpedoed by the German U-68 (Karl-Friedrich Mertens) on June 23, 1942 at 1235 CWT while en route from Baltimore to Aruba carrying 3100 tons of fresh water for the refinery at Aruba. She was in convoy from Baltimore to the Yucatan Channel. At this time the escort left. This was June 18th. From that time on she was on her own.
On board was 23 merchant crew and 2 Naval Armed Guard. The Chief Engineer was killed when the torpedo exploded directly under his room.
A torpedo struck the tanker on the port side just forward of the after house ripping a huge hole in the side of the ship, destroying the port lifeboat, and blowing a hole in the engine room bulkhead. Also put the steering gear out of action causing the ship to swing 90° before stopping. The sub surfaced 100 yards from the ARRIAGA. The 2 Navy gunners fired the 6 pound gun on the after part of the tanker with no results. The position of the sinking was 13-08 N./72-16 W. or about 50 miles off the coast of Colombia. The ship sank in 10 minutes.
The crew abandoned ship in the starboard boat and one raft.There were four on the raft and they were taken aboard the lifeboat. On June 25th, the boat was taken in tow by a Colombian fishing boat which dropped the tow near the beach of a town called Pajaro. The crew rowed the remaining distance to the beach. The boat was then towed by a fishing vessel to a town named Rio Hacha. At this place the crew was taken care of by the British consul. Eventually they were taken to Barranquilla, and then by plane to Miami.
The U-68 (Lauzemis) was sunk on April 10, 1944 north of Madeira in position 33-25 N./18-59 W. by aircraft from the USS GUADALCANAL (CVE 60). There was only one survivor from the U-68 who was rescued by the U.S. Navy. 56 others in the crew were lost.
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The Miramar Ship Index for "DOLOMITE 3 / PETROHEAT"
IDNo:
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2239238
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Year:
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1940
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Name:
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PETROHEAT
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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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03.1940
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DWT:
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3450
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Yard No:
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3
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Length overall:
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Ship Design:
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LPP:
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89.2
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Country of build:
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USA
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Beam:
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13.2
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Builder:
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Dolomite
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Material of build:
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Location of yard:
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Rochester, NY
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Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
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2D-
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Subsequent History:
[ Launched as DOLOMITE 3, completed by Sullivan DD, Brooklyn as PETROHEAT ] -
1942 ARRIAGA
Disposal Data:
Torpedeod and sunk by (U68) 13.08 N / 72.16 W on 23.06.1942 (1 dead), voyage Baltimore to Aruba.
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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239238
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2239238
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1940
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DOLOMITE 3
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2345
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Dolomite 3 Corp.
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239238
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2239238
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1940
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PETROHEAT
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2345
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1940L
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Dolomite 3 Corp.
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|
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2239238
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1940
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ARRIAGA
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2345
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1942
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Lago Petroleum Corp.
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Additional information from UBOAT.NET :
Name: Arriaga
Type: Motor tanker
Tonnage: 2.345 tons
Completed: 1940 - Dolomite Marine Co, Rochester NY
Owner: Lago Petroleum Co, Panama
Homeport: Panama
Date of attack: 23 Jun, 1942 Nationality: Panaman
Fate: Sunk by U-68 (Karl-Friedrich Merten)
Position: 13.08N, 72.16W - Grid EC 8233
- See location on a map -
Complement: 25 (1 dead and 24 survivors).
Convoy:
Route: Baltimore - Aruba
Cargo: 3100 tons of fresh water for the refinery at Aruba
History:
Built as American Dolomite 3 for Dolomite 3 Co (Petroleum Heat and Power Co, Baltimore), Stamford;
renamed Petroheat On 2 Apr, 1942, sold to Lago Petroleum Co (Standard Oil of New Jersey),
Panama and renamed Arriaga, registered under flag of Panama with an American crew
Notes on loss:
The Arriaga (Master Gunnar Gjertsen) had left Baltimore in convoy to the Yucatan Channel, where the
convoy was dispersed on 18 Jun, 1942.
At 19.33 hours on 23 Jun, 1942, the unescorted Arriaga was struck by a torpedo from U-68 on the port side just
forward of the after house ripping a huge hole in the side of the ship, destroying the port lifeboat, killing the
Chief Engineer Harry L. Hovland and blowing a hole in the engine room bulkhead. Also the steering gear
was out of action causing the ship to swing 90° before stopping. U-68 surfaced 100 yard from the Arriaga
and shelled her for a short time. The two armed guards on board returned fire with the old 6pdr gun on the
after part of the ship with no results. The tanker was abandoned by the remaining 22 crewmen and two armed
guards in the starboard lifeboat and one raft, before she sank 10 minutes after the attack about
50 miles off the coast of Colombia.
On 25 June, a Colombian fishing vessel took the boat in tow and later dropped the tow near the small town
Pajaro. The crew rowed the distance to the beach and was then towed to Rio Hacha by another Colombian
fishing vessel. At this place the British consul took care of the survivors and they were eventually taken to
Barranquilla and then by plane to Miami.