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General Petroleum Corporation of California
Emidio - (1923- 1926)
 
Build in 1921 as "Hammac", for the U.S. Shipping Board, sold in 1923 as "Emidio"
to General Petroleum Co. Lost in 1941 by Japanese enemy action.
 
"Emidio", seen here as "Hammac", in service for General Petroleum Co.
"Emidio", seen here wrecked in 1941.

Source : Pacific Marine Review, Volume 18, January 1921.
Bethlehem shipbuilding Corp'n, Ltd., Potrero Works
Hammac. hull 5274, tanker for USSB; keel laid Nov. 30/1920; launch Apr. 1/1921; estimated; delivery June15/1921; estimated: 435 LBP; 56 beam; 26 loaded draft; 11 loaded speed ; 10,100 DWT; rec. engines, 2600 IHP; three Scotch marine boilers, 15 x 11-9.

Source : Pacific Marine Review, Volume 18, August 1921.
Pacific Coast Notes
Bethlehem
Two 10,100 - ton tankers for the Shipping Board, Hamer and Hammac, were delivered by Bethlehem in July, government work, except naval, being brought to an end. The first of three sisters, the Hambro, was completed in June.

Emidio
LOA 435 '  Beam 56 '  Depth 36 ' 6"
10,745 DWT  76,281 bbls
Triple expansion engine 48 " stroke, speed 10.6 knots
ex HAMMAC - 1926
Commissioned July 1921, at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Alameda, California, where she had been built for original
owners as HAMMAC. Purchased by General Petroleum Company in 1923 and acquired by Socony in 1926.

EMIDIO was left on the Pacific coast to serve the local needs of General Petroleum Company. She had the unhappy distinction
of being the first US tanker definitely known to be torpedoed and lost in WWII. The only prior US tanker loss was the ASTRAL,
whose complete disappearance with all hands in November 1941 has never been solved.
On 20 December 1941, 13 days after Pearl Harbor, EMIDIO was torpedoed and shelled by an enemy submarine,presumably Japanese,
on the surface and in daylight, about 20 miles off the coast of California. Five men lost their lives. The ship was abandoned.

Despite later attempts to salvage her, EMIDIO drifted ashore on the rocks off Crescent City, California. She was given up as lost on
26 December, and the hulk was sold in January 1942, "as is, where is" to R.C. Porter of San Francisco, who paid $1000 for
salvage rights.

The Miramar Ship Index for "HAMMAC"
IDNo:
2221460
Year:
1921
Name:
HAMMAC
Keel:
30.11.1920
Type:
Tanker
Launch Date:
25.05.1921
Flag:
USA
Date of completion:
07.1921

Tons:
6900
Link:
-
DWT:
10.100
Yard No:
5274
Length overall:
Ship Design:
LPP:
132.6
Country of build:
USA
Beam:
17.1
Builder:
Bethlehem
Material of build:
Location of yard:
Alameda
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
1T-11

Subsequent History:
1923 EMIDIO

Disposal Data:
Torpedoed, shelled and sunk by Japanese sub. I-17, on 20 Dec 1941, in 40.33 N-125.00 W
(25 miles west of Cape Mendocino), voyage Seattle - San Pedro, in ballast

History :
ON
LR/IMO
ID
Year
Name
Tons
Change
Registered Owner
221460
2221460
1921
HAMMAC
6900
U.S. Govt.
221460
2221460
1921
EMIDIO
6900
1923
General Petroleum Corp.
221460
2221460
1921
EMIDIO
6900
1926
Standard Tptn Co Inc.
221460
2221460
1921
EMIDIO
6900
1931
Standard-Vacuum Tptn Co Inc.
221460
2221460
1921
EMIDIO
6900
1935
Socony-Vacuum Oil Co Inc.

Additional information Starke & Schell registers :

HAMMAC - 1921  USA  1T (aft)   (11)
6,900 GRT for U. S. Shipping Board, San Francisco  1047  435.0 x 56.2
Tanker build by Bethlehem SB. Corp., San Francisco    (7)   #5274     221460
1923 - EMIDIO, General Petroleum Corp., San Francisco
1926 - Standard Transportation Co., Inc., New York
1931 - Standard-Vacuum Transportation Co., Inc., New York
1935 - Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc., New York
Torpedoed, shelled and sunk by Japanese sub. I-17, 20 Dec 1941, in 40.33 N-125.00 W
(25 miles west of Cape Mendocino), voyage Seattle - San Pedro, in ballast.