Commercial Trader
Commerical Trader under her former name Delaware River
| Name | Commercial Trader | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 2.606 tons | ||
| Completed | 1920 - Detroit Shipbuilding Co, Wyandotte MI | ||
| Owner | Moore-McCormack SS Co, New York | ||
| Homeport | New York | ||
| Date of attack | 16 Sep, 1942 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-558 (Günther Krech) | ||
| Position | 10.30N, 60.15W - Grid ED 9995 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 38 (10 dead and 28 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Fortaleza, Brazil - Trinidad - USA | ||
| Cargo | 2000 tons of caster seed and 1500 tons of manganese ore | ||
| History | Laid down as Lake Deerfield, completed as Lake Tippah for US Shipping Board. 1924 renamed Delaware River for Philadelphia & Norfolk SS Co, Wilmington DE. 1939 sold to Moore-McCormack Lines Inc and renamed Commercial Trader. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 10.59 hours on 16 Sep, 1942, the unescorted Commerical Trader (Master James Wilbur Hunley) was hit by one torpedo from U-558 about 75 miles east of Trinidad. The vessel did not steer a zigzagging course at 9 knots but had changed her direction several times during the night. The torpedo struck the starboard side in the #2 hold and blew the hatch off, collapsed the starboard side of the bridge and threw some men into the water. The blast damaged the fireroom´s forward bulkhead and flooded that compartment. Water also poured in the skylight over the engine room. The throttle became inaccessible and the watch below could not secure the engines. Most of the crew of eight officers, 21 men and nine armed guards (the ship was armed with one 3in and two .30cal guns) left the ship in one lifeboat and one raft. No other boats could be launched, because the vessel sank bow first in two minutes. Two officers, five men and three armed guards died. All survivors transferred into the boat and set sail for Tobago, arriving there twelve hours later. Ten survivors required hospitalisation and one of these men later died of wounds. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.