USS Electra (AK 21)

Name	USS Electra (AK 21)
Type:	Cargo transport (Arcturus)
Tonnage	8,113 tons
Completed	1941 - Tampa Shipbuilding Co Inc, Tampa FL
Owner	United States Navy
Homeport
Date of attack	15 Nov 1942	Nationality: American

Fate	Damaged by U-173 (Hans-Adolf Schweichel)
Position	34.00N, 07.24W - Grid DJ 2284 - See location on a map -
Complement	267 (? dead and ? survivors).
Convoy	MKF-1
Route	Safi, Marocco (14 Nov) - Fedhala, Marocco
Cargo	Wounded soldiers from Safi
History	Built as steam merchant Meteor On 16 Apr, 1941 taken over by US Navy as cargo transport USS Electra (AK 21) On 1 Feb, 1943 after repairs were finished, she was reclassified AKA 4 This vessel participated in the following landings: North Africa, Marshalls, Eniwetok, Saipan, Palaus, Tacloban, Lingayen and Iwo Jima and earned six battle stars for her World War 2 service.
Notes on loss	The USS Electra (Capt J.J. Hughes) was participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. She had landed troops and material at Safi and lost many of her landing boats. At 06.40 hours on 15 Nov, 1942, she was torpedoed by U-173 and almost the whole crew and the passengers were taken off by the American destroyer USS Cole (DD 155). Two days later the ship was beached with the assistance of several ships at Casablanca, where she was repaired. After the repairs were finished, she returned to the USA, arriving at Charleston on 30 Apr, 1943.

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