Ships hit by U-boats


Bluefields

Nicaraguan Motor merchant



Bluefields under her former name Ormidale

NameBluefields
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage2,063 tons
Completed1917 - Manitowoc Shipbuilding Corp, Manitowoc WI 
OwnerA. Garcia & Cia Ltda, Bluefields 
HomeportBluefields 
Date of attack15 Jul 1942Nationality:      Nicaraguan
 
FateSunk by U-576 (Hans-Dieter Heinicke)
Position34° 46'N, 75° 22'W
Complement24 (0 dead and 24 survivors).
ConvoyKS-520
RouteNew York - Hampton Roads - Havana, Cuba 
CargoTwo cars, radio, empty burlap bags and drums of carbide and oil 
History Launched as Norwegian Motor I for K. Salvesen, Oslo. Requisitioned by US Shipping Board (USSB) and completed in October 1917 as Lake Mohonk. 1919 renamed Astmahco III for Astmahco, New York. 1921 renamed Ormidale for Ormidale SS Corp, Wilmington DE. 1927 sold to Gravel Motorship Corp, Buffalo NY and 1937 to Old Ben Coal Corp, New York. 1938 sold to Honduras and renamed Jupiter for Lisardo Garcia, Puerto Cortes. 1941 sold to Nicaragua and renamed Bluefields
Notes on event

Between 20.20 and 20.25 hours on 15 July 1942, U-576 fired four torpedoes at convoy KS-520, the first damaged the Chilore, the second damaged the J.A. Mowinckel, the third sank the Bluefields and the fourth missed the second ship. The U-boat was lost after this attack. Both damaged ships later ran into a US defensive minefield, where Chilore was lost and J.A. Mowinckel further damaged, but later repaired.

 


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