Lot 174

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ACTION IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC - THE SINKING OF THE SS WILLIAM C. GORGAS AND HMS HARVESTER
The "CONFIDENTIAL" file on the sinking of the Liberty ship SS W. C. GORGAS in one of the most dramatic submarine/escort actions of World War II. The war-date file contains 20 pages of reports, letters, statements, and cables concerning the sinking of the vessel. Some background: On March 11th, 1943, German submarines attacked convoy HX-228 bound for the U.K. U-444 torpedoes freighter WILLIAM C. GORGAS (carrying 900 tons of explosives, foodstuffs, and LCT-2398). U-444 was then rammed by HMS HARVESTER and sunk. 41 of U-444 were killed, four rescued. HARVESTER rescues the 27-man Armed Guard and 33 of the 43-man merchant complement from the GORGAS, but is herself later torpedoed and sunk by U-432. Immediately thereafter, ACONIT returns to the scene and with depth charges, gunfire and ramming sinks U-432, with 26 killed and 20 survivors. Ultimately, only 12 men from WILLIAM C. GORGAS survive HARVESTER's sinking, rescued by the ACONIT. U-757 then finally torpedoes the nearly-sunk WILLIAM C. GORGAS. U-757 would ultimately be sent to the bottom with all hands nine months later. The documents are contained within a manila file folder with tab: WILLIAM C. GORGAS Sunk". Most revealing is a 4pp. legal folio signed carbon copy of an attestation given by First Asst. Engineer Yancey N. Hall (also signed by fellow survivors AB William Clark and AB Allen Giblin, New York, Mar. 27, 1943 setting forth details of the carnage. In part: "...was struck by a torpedo which hit on the starboard side...splitting the bulkhead. The main steam lines were broken...filled with live steam. The ship began to settle...The captain order the vessel to be abandoned immediately...No. 6 life boat was smashed against the side when it was launched. In this boat were the Second Officer and about 16 or 17 men and they were thrown into the sea...night was dark and visibility was very poor...force four, the sea was rough...a second torpedo hit...There were 960 tons of T.N.T. in this hold and the ship blew up immediately...two submarines surfaced, one on each side of us...HARVESTER appeared and took us aboard...picked up 61 men...[he lists nine missing men]...instantly killed by the explosion [or] dead because of the rough sea...one of her [HARVESTER] propellers had broken off...the other propeller fell off...about 11:00 AM we were struck by two torpedoes, both on the port side...the destroyer sank within five minutes...everything that was moveable and would float was thrown over the side...I was picked up by the Free French Corvette ACONITE...had sunk one of the submarines and had taken 28 prisoners...". Hall lists those who survived the second sinking and also describes the deaths of his shipmates: "...CAPTAIN JAMES C. ELLIS...in an exhausted condition hanging on to a life ring...saw him lose his grip and sink..." Other men are described as drowning due to weakness, killed in explosions, or died from exposure. Also included: a 2pp. signed carbon of Apr. 2, 1943 request for a declaration of "presumptive death" for 25 missing listed crewmen; a two cables listing surviving crewmen who had arrived at Clyde; a signed carbon of a Mar. 13, 1943 T.L.S. from the War Shipping Administration (W.S.A.) advising owners Waterman Steamship of brief details of the loss of the vessel and that the Coast Guard would notify next of kin; Waterman's March 15 response acknowledging receipt of the news and promise to keep information confidential; W.S.A. signed carbon, Mar. 19 to Waterman listing the names of seven crewmen landed at Clyde. Six other crewmen are named and confirmed dead; Waterman's response, Mar. 22, 1943 to the W.S.A.: "...We regret to note...that six of the crew members died as a result of the attack...our sincere hope that some, if not all of the missing men, are found..."; a Mar. 19 letter from Lykes Bros. Steamship to Waterman who had loaded the vessel as sub-agents asking if the vessel had indeed been lost and if they might be allowed to inform cargo interests; W.S.A. carbon, Mar. 23, initialed, to Lykes confirming the loss; and two letters from the W.S.A. to the United Fruit Co., Mar. 12 & 13, describing the loss. A heart -breaking history of a dramatic encounter.

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September 10, 2013 11:00 AM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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