SS Byron D. Benson
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Byron D. Benson |
Namesake | Byron Benson |
Owner | Tide Water Oil Co. |
Builder | Tampa |
Yard number | 11 |
Laid down | 29 June 1920 |
Launched | 15 September 1921 |
Sponsored by | Miss Jane Benson |
Commissioned | 26 January 1922 |
Maiden voyage | 28 January 1922 |
Homeport |
|
Identification | |
Fate | Sank, 8 April 1942 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Tanker |
Tonnage | |
Length | 465.4 ft (141.9 m) |
Beam | 60.2 ft (18.3 m) |
Depth | 27.8 ft (8.5 m) |
Installed power | 596 Nhp, 2,800 ihp |
Propulsion | quadruple expansion |
Speed | 10+1⁄2 knots (12.1 mph; 19.4 km/h) |
Byron D. Benson was a steam tanker built in 1920–1921 by
Design and construction
Early in 1920 Tide Water Oil Co. decided to add another tanker to expand their fleet of four vessels operating between the southern oil ports and New York and New Jersey. The contract for the new vessel was awarded to the Oscar Daniels Shipbuilding Co. and the ship was laid down at the shipbuilder's yard in Tampa (yard number 11) on 29 June 1920, and launched on 15 September 1921, with Miss Jane Benson of New York, granddaughter of Byron D. Benson, serving as the sponsor.[1][2] The ship was built on the Isherwood principle of longitudinal framing providing extra strength to the body of the vessel, had two main decks and a shelter deck. Byron D. Benson had electric lights installed along the decks, and was also equipped with wireless of De Forest type.
As built, the ship was 465.4 feet (141.9 m) long (
The sea trials were held on 12–13 January 1922 in the Gulf of Mexico off Tampa during which the steamer performed satisfactorily and was able to exceed her contract speed.[5][6] Following an inspection, the steamer was transferred to her owners and departed for an oil storage site of Puerto Lobos, near Tamiahua, in ballast on January 28.
Operational history
After completion of sea trials, the tanker was transferred to her owners and departed for her maiden trip on January 28, 1922 to Puerto Lobos, a large oil storage facility on the Mexican Gulf coast. Byron D. Benson continued carrying crude oil between the Mexican ports of Puerto Lobos,
Following her return from Japan Byron D. Benson was reassigned to the Gulf to New York route carrying crude oil from the terminals of Magnolia Petroleum Company in Beaumont and Sinclair Oil Corporation and Texas Company in Port Arthur to the refineries in the Northeast ports of New York and Philadelphia, including Tidewater Oil own refinery in Bayonne. The vessel continued serving that route, as well as transporting crude and fuel oil from Houston to the ports of the Northeast through the remainder of her career.
On January 10, 1942 Byron D. Benson was returning from Port Arthur to Bayonne when around 19:30 in foggy weather she rammed Canadian coastal freighter Continent four miles south of Scotland Lightship, off New Jersey coast. The 466 GRT vessel quickly filled with water and sank, leaving her entire fourteen men crew in icy waters. The tanker stood by for two hours and was able to rescue all but one of the crew men before landing them at Staten Island. The ship received only slight damage and could continue her operations.[12]
Sinking
Byron D. Benson departed Port Arthur on March 27, 1942 for Bayonne transporting 91,500 barrels of crude oil. The vessel was under command of captain John MacMillan and had a crew of eight officers and twenty nine men. The tanker started the travel on her own, but in early April she eventually caught up with a small convoy consisting of another tanker, Gulf of Mexico, escorted by two navy ships,
36°8′57.77″N 75°14′41.57″W / 36.1493806°N 75.2448806°W
References
- ^ "Byron D. Benson (2221861)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ^ a b Merchant Vessels of the United States. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. 1927–1928.
- ^ "Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships" (PDF). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930.
- ^ "Oil Shipments from California". Panama Canal Record. Vol. XVI, no. 13. 8 November 1922. p. 163.
- ^ "Movement of Ocean Vessels". Panama Canal Record. Vol. XVI, no. 13. 8 November 1922. p. 164.
- ^ "Movement of Ocean Vessels". Panama Canal Record. Vol. XVI, no. 16. 29 November 1922. p. 207.
- ^ "Movement of Ocean Vessels". Panama Canal Record. Vol. XVIII. 1924–1925. pp. 56, 155, 208, 258, 306, 332, 390, 421, 491, 591, 641, 670.
- ^ "Movement of Ocean Vessels". Panama Canal Record. Vol. XXI, no. 48. 1927–1928. p. 646.
- ISBN 978-0786446001.
- ^ "U-552 - 8th War Patrol". U-boat Archive. Retrieved 2019-01-15.