SS Oklahoma (1908)

Last updated
History
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
NameOklahoma
Namesake Oklahoma
Owner
Builder New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden
Yard number53
Laid down1907
Launched29 February 1908
Sponsored byMiss Mildred Fessenden Taber
Commissioned25 April 1908
Maiden voyage7 May 1908
Homeport Port Arthur
Identification
FateSank, 4 January 1914
General characteristics
Type Tanker
Tonnage
Length419 ft 0 in (127.71 m)
Beam55 ft 2 in (16.81 m)
Draft27 ft 0 in (8.23 m) (loaded)
Depth28 ft 8 in (8.74 m)
Installed power424 Nhp, 3,200 ihp
Propulsion New York Shipbuilding Co. 3-cylinder triple expansion
Speed11+1⁄2 knots (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h)

Oklahoma was a steam tanker built in 1907-1908 by New York Shipbuilding Co. of Camden for the J. M. Guffey Petroleum Company, with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products to ports along the East Coast of the United States and Europe. In January 1914 the tanker ran into a gale and broke in two and sank with a loss of twenty six men.

Contents

Design and construction

Early in 1907 J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co. following planned expansion of their pipeline system from Oklahoma to Port Arthur, decided to add a large tanker of approximately 10,000 deadweight to its existing fleet of older vessels, enlarging their oil carrying capabilities. A contract for this vessel was awarded to the New York Shipbuilding Co. and Oklahoma was laid down at the builder's shipyard in Camden (yard number 53) and launched on 29 February 1908, with Miss Mildred Fessenden Taber of New York City, daughter of George H. Taber, general manager of the J. M. Guffey Co., serving as the sponsor. [1] [2] [3] The ship was of the spar-deck type and had two main decks. The ship was equipped with wireless of De Forest type and submarine signal system, and had electrical lights installed along the decks. The tanker had her hold subdivided into sixteen cargo tanks fitted for carrying oil in bulk with a total capacity of approximately 2,520,000 gallons and had a cargo pump room with two duplex pumps located just aft of the main oil tanks. In addition, the tanker had eight extra compartments on the wings, with two of them being designed to carry freight cargo and the other six served as summer oil tanks.

As built, the ship was 419 feet 0 inches (127.71 m) long (between perpendiculars) and 55 feet 2 inches (16.81 m) abeam, and had a depth of 28 feet 8 inches (8.74 m). [4] Oklahoma was originally assessed at 5,853  GRT and 3,795  NRT and had deadweight of approximately 9,800. [4] The vessel had a steel hull with double bottom extending under her forepeak and boiler room, and a single 424 Nhp (3,200 ihp) vertical triple expansion steam engine, with cylinders of 28-inch (71 cm), 46-inch (120 cm) and 76-inch (190 cm) diameter with a 54-inch (140 cm) stroke, that drove a single screw propeller and moved the ship at up to 11+1⁄2 knots (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h). [5] The steam for the engine was supplied by three single-ended Scotch boilers fitted for coal. At the time of her construction the vessel was one of the biggest tankers ever built in the United States.

The sea trials were held from April 11 through April 13, during which the tanker was able to achieve top speed of 12+1⁄4 knots (14.1 mph; 22.7 km/h), about 3/4 of a knot over her contractual speed. After successful completion of the sea trials, Oklahoma was turned over to her owners approximately a week later and officially commissioned on April 25. [6] [7]

Operational history

After delivery to her owners the tanker loaded a full cargo of petroleum consigned to the Anglo-American Oil Company and departed Philadelphia for United Kingdom on 7 May 1908. After reaching and unloading her cargo at Belfast on May 21 and Dublin on May 23, the ship sailed back to Philadelphia arriving there on June 8, thus successfully completing her maiden voyage. [8] [9] [10] On her second trip to England in June 1908 the tanker grounded on the upper end of Tinicum Island while travelling down Schuylkill River with a cargo of 2,400,000 gallons of oil, but was able to refloat herself on the rising tide and proceed to her destination. [11] After two more trips from Philadelphia, the tanker was reassigned to a different route and started carrying oil from Port Arthur to United Kingdom for the remainder of 1908. Starting in 1909 Oklahoma was put on a domestic coastal route carrying oil and petroleum products from Gulf ports of Port Arthur and Beaumont to refineries in Philadelphia and New York. She continued serving this route without interruptions for the remainder of her career.

On 4 January 1911 while attempting to dock in Port Arthur the tanker rammed and cut in half the barge Saratoga belonging to the Texas Company also causing minor damage to the wharf totaling in excess of US$10,000. [12] [13] [14]

In October 1910 Oklahoma became a center of a wireless hoax, when multiple vessels and shore stations picked up a wireless call for help pretending to be coming from her. Several ships searched for presumably stricken tanker including revenue cutter Acushnet but found no trace of the ship. The cutter finally was able to contact Oklahoma next day who was way down south on her way to Port Arthur and reported that everything was normal and they never sent a distress call. [15] [16]

Sinking

Oklahoma departed for her last voyage from New York in ballast on 3 January 1914 bound for Port Arthur. The tanker was under command of captain Alfred Gunther, had a crew of thirty eight men and also had on board one passenger, captain Loring A. Cates, who was on his way to Port Arthur to assume command of another Gulf Refining vessel. The ship was heading first to the Delaware Breakwater to pick up a barge and resume her trip down south. In the evening of January 3 the tanker ran into a very strong nor'easter of the New Jersey coast, with winds averaging 50 to 60 miles per hour (80 to 97 km/h) and gusts up to 120 miles per hour (190 km/h). The same storm devastated a seashore community of Seabright causing over US$1,000,000 in damages. As the storm raged, Oklahoma maintained her engines running so she would not be driven towards the shore. At around 07:30 on January 4, as captain Gunther was giving the ship's position to the wireless operator (believed to be approximately 39°30′N74°0′W / 39.500°N 74.000°W / 39.500; -74.000 ), a huge wave swept over the side of the vessel breaking her in two with the stern being swung around and laying alongside the bow. Thirty two men were trapped on the stern as it started to fill quickly. Two lifeboats were quickly lowered, one containing approximately 20 men commandeered by captain Cates, and another with eleven men in it. Captain Gunther and seven other crewmen were left on the bow section of the tanker, which continued to float and showed no signs of sinking. Both lifeboats drifted away from the wreck leaving captain Gunther and seven crewmen alone on the ship bow. [17] [18]

At about 15:00 on January 4 Spanish steamer SS Manuel Calvo noticed a floating derelict and closed in to investigate. An attempt was made to lower a lifeboat but as soon as it was lowered, a high wave came in and smashed the lifeboat against the ship's side injuring three men in the process. Due to continuing strong winds and rough seas still present in the area nothing could be accomplished and the vessel left after about an hour of trying. At approximately 05:00 on January 5 German steamer SS Bavaria noticed distress signals and by about 08:00 approached the wreck. By then, the weather had subsided significantly allowing Bavaria to lower a lifeboat and take off all eight men from the fore section of the tanker. British steamer SS Tenadores also arrived at the scene as Bavaria was finishing up the rescue operation and stood by until all survivors were safely on board the German vessel.

One lifeboat with eleven men in it was spotted at around 13:20 on January 4 by a lookout from Booth Line steamer SS Gregory. The lifeboat had a sail hoisted which helped to keep it from being overwhelmed by the waves. However, as soon as survivors noticed Gregory they dropped the sail and their boat almost immediately capsized. Three officers from the Booth liner jumped in the water and managed to bring back six survivors, with one of them dying from exposure on the deck of the steamer. [19]

In response to a radiogram sent by the steamer Manuel Calvo in the late afternoon of January 4, the US Coast Guard cutter Seneca was dispatched from Newport to help the sinking vessel. The cutter had to fight through the same gale as Oklahoma which slowed her down considerably. At around 16:00 on January 5 a lifeboat was spotted with a man sitting upright in it. A surfboat was launched by Seneca and a man and two dead bodies were recovered from the waterlogged lifeboat. An attempt was made to resuscitate a man for two hours on board the cutter but he never regained consciousness.

In the afternoon of January 6 Seneca located the upside-down floating fore section wreck of Oklahoma about 12 nautical miles (22 km) southeast from the Fenwick Island Lightship. After examining it and determining that it could not be safely towed, mines were attached to the body of the wreck, but they failed to explode. As it was getting dark, the cutter decided to stand by waiting for daybreak. In the morning of January 7 it was decided not to use mines and instead the cutter fired sixteen shots from her rapid-fire six-pounder guns causing the wreck to rapidly sink in approximately 18 fathoms (108 ft; 33 m) of water. [20] [21]

Subsequent investigation into the wrecking of Oklahoma established that her loss was unavoidable when her bow and stern were both buoyed up by high seas causing the ship to break in two. In addition, a lack of law controlling and standardizing vessel construction was blamed for the wreck. [22] [23]

Related Research Articles

SS <i>Emidio</i>

Hammac was a steam tank ship built in 1920–1921 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Alameda for the United States Shipping Board as part of the wartime shipbuilding program of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) to restore the nation's Merchant Marine. Early in 1923 the vessel together with two other tankers was sold to General Petroleum Corporation and renamed Emidio. The tanker spent the vast majority of her career carrying oil along the West Coast of the United States as well as between West and East coast. In December 1941 she was shelled and damaged by the Japanese submarine I-17 and eventually wrecked with a loss of five crewmen.

Silvanus was a steam tanker built in 1920–1921 by the Southwestern Shipbuilding & Drydock Company of San Pedro for the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company with the intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between Dutch East Indies and various destinations in Europe and the Far East. The tanker was employed in this capacity through the first part of 1926. In April 1926 Silvanus collided with the tanker Thomas H. Wheeler in the Mississippi River, resulting in the explosion and death of 26 seamen. Silvanus was declared a total loss and sold at auction to the newly formed Petroleum Navigation Company of Texas. The tanker was rebuilt and renamed Papoose and started operating in March 1927. In March 1942, she was attacked by German U-boat U-124 off the coast of North Carolina. The ship drifted for several days and eventually sank in 200 feet (61 m) of water off Oregon Inlet.

SS <i>W. L. Steed</i>

W. L. Steed was a steam tanker built in 1917–1918 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Quincy for Pan American Petroleum and Transport Company, with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between Mexican and Gulf ports and the Northeast of the United States. The ship was briefly requisitioned by the US Government during World War I but returned to commercial service in early 1919. The ship was named after William L. Steed, superintendent of the Mexican Petroleum Company of California.

SS <i>Montebello</i>

Montebello was a steam oil tanker built in 1920–1921 by the Southwestern Shipbuilding Co. of San Pedro for Union Oil Company with the intention of carrying oil and petroleum products along the West Coast of the United States and Canada as well as between the United States and Chile. In December 1941 the tanker was sunk on one of her regular trips by the Japanese submarine I-21.

Sylvan Arrow was a steam tanker built in 1917–1918 by New York Shipbuilding Co. of Camden for Standard Oil Company, with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between United States and ports in the Far East. The ship was briefly requisitioned by the US Government during World War I but returned to commercial service in early 1919.

SS <i>Rosecrans</i>

Methven Castle was a steam iron passenger cargo ship built in 1882–1883 by Barclay, Curle & Company of Glasgow for Donald Currie & Co. with intention of serving as cargo, passenger and mail carrier on their existing route from England to South Africa. The vessel was later sold to the North American Mail Steamship Co. of Tacoma to work on their Oriental trade routes and renamed Columbia. In 1899 the ship was chartered by the United States Army to transport troops and supplies to various overseas destinations. In 1900 the Army bought out the ship placing it in service as the United States Army Transport Rosecrans but sold it two years later to Matson Navigation Company. The vessel was then converted into an oil tanker to carry oil from the West Coast to Alaska and Hawaii. Subsequently she was sold in 1905 to Associated Oil Co. to carry oil from California to various ports along the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. In January 1913 while on one of her regular trips, the ship was wrecked off the mouth of the Columbia River with the loss of almost her entire crew.

Queen Cristina was a steam cargo ship built in 1901 by the Northumberland Shipbuilding Co of Newcastle for Thomas Dunlop & Sons of Glasgow. The ship was designed and built for general cargo trade and spent her career doing tramp trade. She was the second ship named Queen Cristina in service with the Queen Line.

Silverlip was a steam tanker built in 1902 by the W.G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Company of Walker for Sir Marcus Samuel owner and chairman of Shell Transport & Trading Company of London. The ship was designed and built to carry liquid cargo and spent her career carrying petroleum products from Borneo and Texas to United Kingdom and Europe.

SS <i>Mohawk</i> (1908)

Mohawk was a steam passenger ship built in 1908 by William Cramp & Sons of Philadelphia for Clyde Steamship Company with intention of operating between New England and southern ports of the United States. In early January 1925 the ship caught fire off New Jersey coast and eventually was abandoned and scuttled by the crew without a loss of life.

SS <i>Samuel Q. Brown</i> Steam tanker

Samuel Q. Brown was a steam tanker built in 1920–1921 by Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation of Chester for Tide Water Oil Co., a subsidiary of Standard Oil, with intention of operating between New York and the oil-producing ports of the southern United States and Mexico.

SS <i>Lightburne</i> 20th c. American tanker

Lightburne was a steam tanker built in 1918–1919 by Texas Steamship Company of Bath for The Texas Company, with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between Mexican and Gulf ports and the Northeast of the United States. The ship was named after R. W. Lightburne, Jr., a Kansas City-based steamship agent who rendered valuable assistance to the United States Shipping Board during the war.

West Niger was a steam cargo ship built in 1919–1920 by Southwestern Shipbuilding Company of San Pedro for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) as part of the wartime shipbuilding program of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) to restore the nation's Merchant Marine. The freighter spent her entire career in the Pacific connecting the West Coast of the United States with the Chinese and Japanese ports in the Far East. Early in 1928, the ship, together with ten other vessels, was sold by the Shipping Board to the States Steamship Co. and subsequently renamed Nevada. In September 1932, the vessel, while on her regular trip to Japan, ran aground in foggy weather on Amatignak Island and subsequently broke into three parts and sank with the loss of thirty four out of thirty seven men.

SS <i>China Arrow</i> Steam tanker built in 1920

China Arrow was a steam tanker built in 1920 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Quincy for Standard Oil Co., with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between United States and the Far East. During the first part of her career the tanker was used to carry oil and gasoline between United States and Asia, later becoming a coastal tanker serving the East Coast of the United States. The ship was torpedoed and sunk in February 1942 on one of her regular trips by German submarine U-103.

India Arrow was a steam tanker built in 1921 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Quincy for Standard Oil Co., with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products between the United States and the Far East. During the first eight years the tanker was chiefly employed in the Pacific trade, carrying cargo between Gulf ports and a variety of destinations in East Asia. In late 1920s the tanker was moved to serve intercoastal trade routes while still making occasional trips to Asia. In early 1930s she was permanently assigned to trade routes between the Gulf and the ports on the United States East Coast, where she remained for the rest of her career.

Lyman Stewart was a steam tanker built in 1914 by Union Iron Works Company of San Francisco for the Union Oil Company of California, with intention of transporting oil and petroleum products to ports along the West Coast of the United States and Canada. The ship was named after Lyman Stewart, the president of the Union Oil Co. In October 1922 the tanker collided with another steamer, SS Walter Luckenbach, and was beached to avoid sinking but was subsequently declared a total loss.

Swiftstar was a steam tanker built in 1920-1921 by Northwest Bridge & Iron Company of Portland for the Swiftsure Oil Transport Co., a subsidiary of the France & Canada Steamship Co., with intention of transporting oil from foreign ports to refineries along the Gulf and East Coasts of the United States. The ship had short but troubled history. In July 1923 after departing Colón the tanker went missing. Large oil slick, burnt remnants and several lifeboats bearing the ships's name were later found indicating the ship exploded. All 32 people on board were presumed lost.

Mielero was a steam tank ship built in 1916–1917 by Fore River Shipbuilding Company of Quincy for the Cuba Distilling Company of New York. The vessel was extensively employed on East Coast to Cuba route during her career and foundered on one of her regular trips in January 1920 with the loss of twenty two men.

Cubadist was a steam tank ship built in 1915–16 by Fore River Shipbuilding Company of Quincy for the Cuba Distilling Company of New York. The vessel was extensively employed on East Coast to Cuba route during her career and disappeared without a trace on one of her regular trips in February 1920.

William O'Brien was a steam cargo ship built in 1914–1915 by New York Shipbuilding Company of Camden for the Carpenter–O'Brien Lumber Company of Delaware. The vessel was extensively employed on East Coast to Europe routes during her career and foundered on one of her regular trips in April 1920.

R. W. Gallagher was a steam turbine-powered tanker built in 1938 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Quincy for Standard Oil Company of New Jersey with intention of operating between the oil-producing ports of the southern United States and Mexico and the Northeast. The tanker spent her entire career in coastwise trade and was torpedoed and sunk on one of regular journeys in July 1942 by German submarine U-67.

References

  1. ↑ "Oil Carrier Is Launched". The Morning Post. 29 February 1908. p. 1. Retrieved 18 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  2. ↑ "Oklahoma (2205040)" . Miramar Ship Index . Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  3. ↑ "Big Tank Steamer Launched". The Baltimore Sun. 1 March 1908. p. 18. Retrieved 18 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  4. 1 2 Merchant Vessels of the United States. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. 1911–1912.
  5. ↑ Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships. London: Lloyd's Register. 1909–1910.
  6. ↑ "Trial Trip of New Oil Steamer". Courier-Post. 11 April 1908. p. 12. Retrieved 18 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  7. ↑ "Oil Tanker In Splendid Trip". The Morning Post. 14 April 1908. p. 9. Retrieved 18 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  8. ↑ "Other Ports". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 22 May 1908. p. 6.
  9. ↑ "Other Ports". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 26 May 1908. p. 7.
  10. ↑ "Arrived Yesterday". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 9 June 1908. p. 6.
  11. ↑ "Maritime Notes". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 17 June 1908. p. 7. Retrieved 22 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  12. ↑ "Rammed Amidship". The Galveston Daily News. 5 January 1911. p. 10.
  13. ↑ "Tank Steamer Cuts Barge in Twain". Pensacola News Journal. 6 January 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Tank Steamer Cuts Barge in Twain (cont)". Pensacola News Journal. 6 January 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Steamer Oklahoma in Peril". The New York Times. 24 October 1910. p. 1. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  16. ↑ "Cruel Wireless Hoax". The Daily Record. 25 October 1910. p. 3. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  17. ↑ "Ship Breaks Back; Stern Sinks; Other Half Stays Afloat". The Evening World. 5 January 1914. p. 1. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  18. ↑ "Ship Breaks Back; Stern Sinks; Other Half Stays Afloat (cont)". The Evening World. 5 January 1914. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  19. ↑ "Brave Sailors Save Lives of Five". Norwich Bulletin. 7 January 1914. p. 1. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  20. ↑ "Cutter Finds Tank Steamer". Tampa Bay Times. 8 January 1914. p. 1. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  21. ↑ "Rescue Ship's Siren Lone Sailor's Dirge". The New York Times. 11 January 1914. p. 10. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  22. ↑ "Oklahoma's Loss Unavoidable". The Baltimore Sun. 27 February 1914. p. 5. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  23. ↑ "Law Is Blamed for Loss of Steamer". The Evening World. 3 March 1914. p. 1. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.