Auke Visser's MOBIL Tankers & Tugs Site | home
Mobiloil (2) - (1937-1942)
See also : Convoy Routes Mobiloil (II) during WW2You will be escorted to a remote site called Arnold Hague Ports database.
Click the Return button to return to the Esso site.
Thanks to Mike Holdoway webmaster of the Arnold Hague Ports database.
|
The second "Mobiloil", was build in 1937. Torpedoed, shelled and sunk by the "U-108, 29 April 1942.
( Photo United States Coast Guard )
"Mobiloil (2)".
The new tanker "Mobiloil (2)" at the General Petroleum Dock, Los Angeles.
( Photo by Art Streib )
"Mobiloil (2)", Hull 157.
Single screw, steam turbine powered. 11,402 DWT.
Build by Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company.
( Photo Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company photograph collection )
"Mobiloil (2)".
"Mobiloil (2)".
The Miramar Ship Index for "MOBILOIL (2)"
IDNo:
|
2235790
|
Year:
|
1937
|
Name:
|
MOBILOIL
|
Keel:
|
|
Type:
|
Tanker
|
Launch Date:
|
30.12.1936
|
Flag:
|
USA
|
Date of completion:
|
01.1937
|
Tons:
|
9860
|
Link:
|
-
|
DWT:
|
11402
|
Yard No:
|
157
|
Length overall:
|
152.9
|
Ship Design:
|
|
LPP:
|
148.2
|
Country of build:
|
USA
|
Beam:
|
20.8
|
Builder:
|
Sun
|
Material of build:
|
|
Location of yard:
|
Chester, Pa
|
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):
|
1ST-12.5
|
|
|
Subsequent History:
-
Disposal Data:
Torpedoed, shelled and sunk by U 108, 25.35 N/66.18 W on 29.04.1942.
History:
ON
|
LR/IMO
|
ID
|
Year
|
Name
|
Tons
|
Change
|
Registered Owner
|
235790
|
|
2235790
|
1937
|
MOBILOIL
|
9860
|
-
|
Socony-Vacuum Oil
|
Additional information Starke & Schell registers :
MOBILOIL - 1937 USA 1ST (aft)(12½)
9,860 GRT for Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc., New York 486.3 x 68.3
Tanker built by Sun SB. & DD. Co., Chester, Pa. (1) #157 235790
Torpedoed, shelled and sunk by U 108, 29 April 1942, in 25.35 N - 66.18 W,
voyage New York - Caripito, in ballast
Additional information from Uboat.net :
Name: Mobiloil
Type: Steam tanker
Tonnage: 9.925 tons
Completed: 1937 - Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co, Chester PA
Owner: Socony-Vacuum Oil Co Inc, New York
Homeport: New York
Date of attack: 29 Apr, 1942
Nationality: American
Fate: Sunk by U-108 (Klaus Scholtz)
Position: 25.35N, 66.18W - Grid DO 1389
- See location on a map -
Complement: 52 (0 dead and 52 survivors).
Convoy: -
Route: New York (16 Apr) - Norfolk - Caripito, Venezuela
Cargo: Water ballast
History: -
Notes on loss: At 08.57 hours on 29 Apr, 1942, the unescorted Mobiloil (Master Ernest V. Farrow) was torpedoed by U-108 about
350 miles northeast of Turks Island. The tanker had been spotted by the U-boat already at 19.50 hours in grid DC 9592 the day
before, but she was steaming at 14 knots and it took so long to come into an attack position. At 04.12 hours, a first torpedo already
missed, before the U-boat fired a spread of two torpedoes at 08.57 hours and hit the tanker with one between the #1 and #2 tanks
on the starboard side and blew a large hole in the bow. Then the U-boat surfaced and began shelling the tanker from a distance
of 2000 metres with all weapons, while Mobiloil was firing 12 rounds from the 4in stern gun (the ship was also armed with two .
50cal and two .30cal guns). After three hits on the tanker, Scholtz had to cease fire after 50 minutes because the target could
not be seen properly, the 2cm AA gun jammed and the gun sight of the 3,7cm AA gun was defect. In the meantime the tanker
swung around to show the stern towards the U-boat, shifted some ballast and set course toward Bermuda.
At 11.12 and 11.13 hours, the U-boat fired two torpedoes, the first missed and the second struck on the starboard side of the
#4 tank, destroying a lifeboat, opening the pumproom, wrecking the living quarters and the gyro compass, but the tanker was
able to continue. The sixth torpedo fired at 16.45 hours hit between #7 and #8 tanks on the port side, stopping the engines and
caused flooding, this caused the ship to break in two in the middle. The eight officers, 33 crewmen, two workaways and nine
armed guards abandoned ship in three lifeboats just before the ship sank at 17.12 hours in 26°10N/66°15W with bow
and stern pointing skyward.
All survivors were picked up about 86 hours after the attack by the American submarine chaser USS PC-490 after being spotted
and circled twice by aircraft and landed on 4 May at San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The master was later convicted of violating convoy routing orders, because he had been ordered to await a convoy off Norfolk,
but the vessels did not arrive at the appointed hour, so he proceeded alone.