Esparta
| Name | Esparta | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 3.365 tons | ||
| Completed | 1904 - Workman, Clark & Co Ltd, Belfast | ||
| Owner | United Fruit SS Co, New York | ||
| Homeport | New York | ||
| Date of attack | 9 Apr, 1942 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-123 (Reinhard Hardegen) | ||
| Position | 30.46N, 81.11W - Grid DB 5663 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 40 (1 dead and 39 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Puerto Cortes, Honduras - New York | ||
| Cargo | 1450 tons of general cargo, including bananas and coffee | ||
| History | Completed in October 1904 for Tropical Fruit SS Co Ltd (United Fruit SS Co), Glasgow. 1914 transferred to US flag. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 07.16 hours on 9 Apr, 1942, the unescorted and unarmed Esparta (Master Alfred L. Case) was hit by one G7e torpedo from U-123 about 14 miles south of Brunswick, Georgia. The torpedo struck the starboard side at the #4 hatch, blew off the #3 and #4 hatch covers, damaged both sides of the ship and released ammonia gas used in the refrigerating system of the ship. A small fire burned at the point of impact and the fumes forced several men to jump overboard, one of them drowned. The vessel quickly listed 15° to starboard and began to sink rapidly by the stern. Distress signals were sent and acknowledgments were received. Ten minutes after the hit most of the crew of eleven officers and 29 men abandoned ship in two lifeboats and one raft, the master and radio operator left last by jumping overboard onto the raft. The bow of the ship remained afloat and finally sank two hours later. The survivors were picked up by the American patrol boat USS Tyrer (WIX 339) seven hours later. | ||
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