Delvalle
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| Name | Delvalle | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant (Hog Island) | ||
| Tonnage | 5.032 tons | ||
| Completed | 1919 - American Int Shipbuilding Corp, Hog Island PA | ||
| Owner | Mississippi Shipping Co Inc, New Orleans LA | ||
| Homeport | New Orleans | ||
| Date of attack | 12 Apr, 1942 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-154 (Walther Kölle) | ||
| Position | 16.51N, 72.25W - Grid EC 2586 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 63 (2 dead and 61 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | New Orleans, Louisiana - St.Thomas - Buenos Aires | ||
| Cargo | 5165 tons of general cargo | ||
| History | Built as Clavarack, 1932 renamed Delvalle | ||
| Notes on loss | On 11 Apr, 1942, a passenger aircraft spotted U-154 off the port quarter of the unescorted Delvalle (Master Edgar F. Jones) south of Haiti and advised the ship of this discovery. The Delvalle proceeded now on a nonevasive course at full speed (13 knots). At 11.30 hours, a lookout spotted the periscope about 500 yards away and the ship turned around in an effort to ram the U-boat but it submerged. At 06.57 hours on 12 April, the Delvalle was hit by two torpedoes from U-154 on the starboard side almost simultaneously about 15 feet below the waterline and just forward of amidships. The explosions extensively damaged the ship and destroyed the starboard lifeboats. As the vessel rapidly sank, the launching of the other two boats proved difficult because the severe list. A third torpedo struck the ship and sank her 15 minutes after the third hit. The crew of nine officers, 45 men, five passengers and four armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and two .30cal guns) all abandoned ship, with the exception of the ship´s doctor and an able seaman. The boats and rafts stayed together until daybreak, when the motor launch left to reach the coast for help. The launch later reached land at Jacmel, Haiti. The remaining survivors were sighted by a US Navy patrol aircraft the same day and were picked up by the Canadian armed merchant cruiser HMCS Prince Henry (F 70). | ||
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