Alphabet File page 356

Stubbs, Mr. and Mrs. A. C., are over looking after their recently acquired property on which they will shortly erect a handsome dwelling. (SCE 7/22/1893)

 

Stubbs, Elaine R. Mrs. r 614 N. Bch. (Ph 55)

 

Stuckey's Candy Co. Hwy 90 (Ph 55)

 

Stulth - Fisher, Miss Rose, and Miss Maggie Stulth, of New Orleans, arrived at the Bay Wednesday to spend part of the summer.  (SCE 7/15/1893)

 

Sturcke? (last letter not legible), Miss Lulu is the guest of pretty Miss Mamie Weiss.  (SCE 8/20/1892)

 

SUBMARINES

 

GERMAN SUBMARINE ACTITICITES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

 

Compiled by M. James Stevens

 

 

 

  As in all American wars, the people of the Gulf Coast became very involved and contributed their fair share of action in the December 1941 through August 1945 conflict.  Whether it was the American Revolution during 1778-1781, War of 1812 (1814-1815), Mexican War (1846-184 ), War Between the States (1861-1865 through 1875), Spanish-American War (1898), World War One (April 1917-November 1918) -- it was just normal for the troubless with Germany-Japan-Italy to disturb the lives and placidity of the pleasant Deep South.

 

  Biggest surprise (and one of its almost h idden secrets) was the great success the German submarines had in the Gulf of Mexico.  Aiding Britain and France with warships, airplanes, supplies, etc., had depleted our United Staes defensive armor.  Due to the gaps in the equipment and man-power this created, the following provides a picture of what became a very close brush with catastrophy very close to home while yet far removed from the major theatres of action in Europe and Asia or the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.

 

  Wasr was declared December 7 against Japan and December ll, 1941, by Gemany and Italy against us, following Pearl Harbor.

 

  Along the Gulf Coast war preparations were underway in many directions.  The Army Air Corps School had been started at Biloxi in June 1941 with construction on the former golf course.  Ingalls Shippbuilding Corp. Had been organized at Pascagoula in 1939 to construct all-welded tankers but it had refused to build 12 submarines.  Drafting of men for military service was underway with much discussion about war preparations.  Everybody was busy -- if confused as to where they were going.

 

  The enemy struck first !

 

  March 4, 1942, the Freighter NORLINDO of 2,686 tons was sunk 75 miles West North West of Tortugas in the Gulf.

 

  March 13 the Tanker GULFPENN of 8.862 tons was sunk just South of the Mouth of the Mississippi River with loss of 13 lives among the 38  man crew.  These were the first of many lives to be lost and injuries to be suffered

 

  Gulfport Army Air Field was activated April 18, 1942.  The Seabees arrived in acquiring land in April 1942 with an advanced Base Depot established in June 1942.

 

  The U. S. Coast Guard was on Ship Island and other barrier islands to patrol.

 

  Yet in May 1942 the following 13 Tankers and Freighters were attacked, and most of them just off the northern Gulf of Mexico coast.

 

  May 4 Freighter EASTERN SWORD of 3,785 tons went dwn 30 miles North West of Tortugas.  

 

  May 4 Tanker MUNGER T. BALL of 5,104 tons was sunk 9 miles North West of Tortugas with 33 lives lost of the 37 man crew.

 

  May 6 Freighter ALCOS PURITAN of 6,750 tons was lost.

 

  May 10 Tanker AURORA of 7.859 tons was attacked South of Grand Isle, La., with l life lost of the 45 men aboard.

 

  May 12 Tanker VIRGINIA of 10,781 tons went dwn South of South West Pass of the Mississippi River -- 27 lives lost in the 41 man crew.

 

  May 13 Tanker DAVID McKELVY of 6,820 tons West of Mississippi River mouth in South Terrebonne Bay south of Houma, La., in which 17 lives were lost in the 42 man crew.

 

  May 13 Tanker GULF PRINCE of 6,560 tons South South West of Houma, La.

 

  May 16 Tanker Wm  C. McTARNAHAN of 7,306 tons South of Mississippi River mouth in which 18 lives were lost of 45 men aboard but the ship wass salvaged.

 

  May 19 Freighter HEREDIA of 4,840 tons Soutdh of Morgan City, La., inwhich 25% to 75% of lives were reported lost.

 

   May 20 Tanker HALO of 6,986 tons SSW of Grand Isle, La., in which 39 lives were lost of 42 men aboard.

 

  May 26 Tanker CARRABULLE of 5,030 tons was lost in the Middle of the Gulf with 22 lives lost.

 

  May 27 Tanker HAMLET (Norwegian) of 3,994 tons was sunk 90 miles South of Franklin, La.

 

  This terrific loss in May finally caused an effective dim-out in black-out of shore lighting.  Since ships were forced to follow the curve of the shoreline in going round the Gulf, the lights on shore enabled U=Boats to lie quietly until vessels were silhouetted and formed an easy torpedo target.

 

  News Black-outs also occurred to prevent “loose talk” which might enable German or Italian sympathizers or spies to pass word along.  There was much suspicion of people with foreign accents presumed to be possibly un-American.  Exhaustive investigation in Axiz files after the War, however, found no record of any such activity occurring in transmitting information.

 

  Since many coastal people were involved in water activities, knowledge of sinkings was available to residents.  It was effective in making people aware of the seriousness and aided in military enlistments, gas rationing, food coupons, and condemnation of hoarding.  Oil and even bodies were washed on beaches, which with constant action by the very limited number of Coast Guard planes and boats in search and rescue work kept people worried.

 

   In the very top military command, failure to halt the sinkings or sink the German U-Boats caused General George C. Marshall to write Admiral Ernest J. King June 19, 1942, that while escort craft was limited the crippling of tankers warranted re-examination to see if everything possible was being done since it was having a determining influence on the war.

 

  June ship losses continued with nine more vessels lost.

 

  June 8 Tanker J.A. MOFFITT of 9,788 tons was sunk 15 miles off the Keys in the Gulf Stream.

 

  June ll Tanker SHEHEREZADE (Panamanian) of 7,015 tons was sunk South of Morgan City, La.

 

June 12 Tanker CITIES SERVICE TOLEDO of 8,192 tons was lost South East of Cameron, La., 70 miles out, with 15 lives lost amongst the 45 crew members.

 

  June 14 Friehgter GUNBOR of l, 121 tons was lost 40 miles North of Key West.

 

  June 17  Freightor SANTORE of 7,l17 tons in Gulf Stream SSE of Key West.

 

  June 19  Freighter BOSILJKE (Yugoslav) of l, 810 tons was lost 40 miles NNW of Key West.

 

  June 22  Tanker RAWLEIGH WARNER of 3,663 tons was sunk practically just south of the Mississippi Coast between South Pass and South West Pass with all 33 lives lost.

 

  June 29  Tanker EMPIRE MICO of 4,676 tons was lost South of Port St. Joe, Florida.

 

Still it continued into July with 7 more vessels lost:

 

  July 2  Freighter EDWARD LUCKENBACH of 5,041 tons was sunk 30 miles NNW of Key West.

 

  July 6  Freighter BAYARD (Norway) of    2,160 tons sunk South of Chandeleur Island.

 

  July 7, Tanker  PAUL HARWOOD of 6,610 tons was attacked, damaged but later salvaged SSE of Mouth of the Mississippi River.

 

  July 9 Tanker  BENJAMIN BREWSTER  of 5,950 tons was lost West South West  of Grand Isle, La., with 36 men lost of the 42 crew aboard.

 

  July ll Tanker  R. W. GALLAGHER of 7,989 tons was sunk South of Houma and Morgan City, La., with 8 lives lost among the 52 men aboard.