Ships hit by U-boats


Pierre Soulé

American Steam merchant


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NamePierre Soulé
Type:Steam merchant (Liberty)
Tonnage7,191 tons
Completed1943 - Delta Shipbuilding Co, New Orleans LA 
OwnerMoore-McCormack SS Co, New York 
HomeportNew Orleans 
Date of attack23 Aug 1943Nationality:      American
 
FateDamaged by U-380 (Josef Röther)
Position38° 19'N, 12° 55'E - Grid CJ 8687
Complement122 (0 dead and 122 survivors).
Convoy
RoutePalermo, Sicily - Bizerte, Tunisia 
CargoSand ballast 
History Completed in February 1943

Post-war:
Broken up at Mobile in December 1969. 
Notes on event

At 19.25 hours on 23 Aug 1943 the Pierre Soulé (Master Patrick Driscoll) was hit by a torpedo from U-380, while sailing in escort of three destroyers and one tug about 35 miles northwest of Palermo. The torpedo struck at the rudder post, bodily lifted the ship out of the water and threw a column of water about 100 feet into the air. The explosion blew off the rudder, damaged the shaft and engines, destroyed the quarters of the gun crew and caused the partially flooding of the engine room and holds #4 and #5. Unable to steer, the master ordered the engines secured, but the eight officers, 36 crewmen, 28 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) and 50 passengers (military personnel) remained on board. The tug USS Nauset (AT 89) took the ship in tow to Bizerte, where the ship dropped anchor the next day. Later she was repaired in a dry dock at Taranto, Italy and returned to New York on 19 Sep 1944.

The Pierre Soulé had left New York in convoy UGS-11 on 24 June for Palermo.

 
On boardWe have details of 3 people who were on board


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