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The TAG convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. They take their name from the route: Trinidad to Aruba and Guantanamo, Cuba
The TAG series was the reverse of GAT series. The series ran from August 1942 to May 1945. There were 205 TAG convoys, comprising 3,843 individual ship listings. Five convoys were successfully attacked by U-boats during 1942 and 1943, with 12 ships sunk and one damaged but then later declared a total loss.
| Convoy | Departure Date | Arrival Date | No. of merchant ships | No. of escort ships | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAG 1 | 29 Aug 1942 | 5 Sep 1942 | 31 | 10 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 2 | 1 Sep 1942 | 7 Sep 1942 | 7 | 8 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 3 | 5 Sep 1942 | 11 Sep 1942 | 21 | 7 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 4 | 9 Sep 1942 | 14 Sep 1942 | 18 | 6 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 5 | 12 Sep 1942 | 16 Sep 1942 | 17 | 7 | 2 vessels sunk. 1 damaged; she eventually reached New Orleans, but declared a total loss |
| TAG 6 | 16 Sep 1942 | 21 Sep 1942 | 29 | 8 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 7 | 19 Sep 1942 | 24 Sep 1942 | 22 | 6 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 8 | 22 Sep 1942 | 27 Sep 1942 | 15 | 7 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 9 | 27 Sep 1942 | 2 Oct 1942 | 19 | 9 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 10 | 3 Oct 1942 | 8 Oct 1942 | 39 | 6 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 11 | 6 Oct 1942 | 11 Oct 1942 | 11 | 7 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 12 | 9 Oct 1942 | 14 Oct 1942 | 20 | 10 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 13 | 13 Oct 1942 | 18 Oct 1942 | 12 | 11 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 14 | 17 Oct 1942 | 22 Oct 1942 | 24 | 7 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 15 | 21 Oct 1942 | 26 Oct 1942 | 25 | 8 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 16 | 25 Oct 1942 | 31 Oct 1942 | 34 | 7 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 17 | 29 Oct 1942 | 3 Nov 1942 | 28 | 7 | 0 vessels lost |
| TAG 18 | 2 Nov 1942 | 8 Nov 1942 | 37 | 8 | 6 vessels sunk (40,477 tons) |
| TAG 19 | 6 Nov 1942 | 11 Nov 1942 | 31 | 14 | 2 vessels sunk |
| TAG 20 | 10 Nov 1942 | 15 Nov 1942 | 27 | 10 | 1 vessel sunk |
| TAG 70 | 3 Jul 1943 | 8 Jul 1943 | 20 | 0 | 1 vessel sunk |
There were two exceptions, namely special convoy TAG.SP, which ran in two sections from Trinidad to Kingston, Jamaica, and then on to Guantanamo in January 1943, without any losses, and Convoy TAG 205 which sailed from Curaçao to Guantanamo, and comprised only one ship.
The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom. They absorbed the BHX convoys from Bermuda en route. Later, after the United States entered the war, HX convoys began at New York.
The SC convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys that ran during the battle of the Atlantic during World War II.
ONS 20 and ON 206 were North Atlantic convoys of the ONS/ON series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were the subject of a major U-boat attack in October 1943, the third battle in the Kriegsmarine's autumn offensive.
USS Surprise (PG-63), the fourth American naval ship of the name, was a Temptress-class patrol gunboat during World War II. She was built as the British Flower-class corvette HMS Heliotrope, and was in service with the Royal Navy during the first years of the Battle of the Atlantic. She was loaned to and operated by the United States Navy from 1942 to 1945. After World War II, she was sold as a merchant vessel and ended her life in the Chinese navy as Lin I.
HX 228 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was one of a series of four convoy battles that occurred during the crisis month of March 1943 and is notable for the loss of the Escort Group leader Commander AA "Harry" Tait.
HMS Arabis was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy. The ship was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Arabis. She was transferred to the United States Navy in 1942, serving as USS Saucy. Returned to the United Kingdom in 1945, she was recommissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Snapdragon.
The CU convoys were a World War II series of fast trans-Atlantic convoys to the British Isles. The earliest convoys of the series were tankers sailing directly from petroleum refineries at Curaçao to the United Kingdom. Most convoys of the series assembled in New York City and included fast freighters and troopships, with tankers arriving from Aruba via TAG convoys to Guantánamo Bay and GN convoys from Guantánamo to New York.
Convoy GP55 was a convoy of Allied ships that travelled from Sydney to Brisbane in June 1943 during World War II. It comprised ten cargo ships, three landing ships, tank (LSTs) and an escort of five corvettes. The Japanese submarine I-174 attacked the convoy on 16 June, sinking the United States Army transport ship Portmar and damaging USS LST-469. Two of the corvettes counter-attacked I-174, but only lightly damaged her.
Convoys SL 138/MKS 28 were two Allied convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. SL 138 was one of the SL convoys from the South Atlantic to Britain, and MKS 28 one of the MKS convoys between Britain and the Mediterranean. They were sailing together on the Gibraltar homeward route, having made a rendezvous off Gibraltar in order to cross the Bay of Biscay with the maximum possible escort. They were the subject of a major U-boat attack in October 1943, the first battle in the Kriegsmarine's renewed Autumn offensive.
SC 129 was a North Atlantic convoy of the SC series which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was one of several convoy battles that occurred during the crisis month of May 1943.
HMS Godetia was the second Flower-class corvette with that name built for the Royal Navy. She served during the Second World War as part of the Section Belge of the Royal Navy (RNSB). With the liberation of Belgium in late 1944, the vessel was returned to the United Kingdom. In common with other Flower-class corvettes, the ship was named after an eponymous flower.
Convoy TAG 5 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 5th of the numbered TAG Convoys from Trinidad and Aruba to Guantánamo. The convoy was found on 13 September 1942 by U-558. Kapitänleutnant Günther Krech destroyed three ships from the convoy in two approaches aboard U-558.
Convoy TAG 19 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 19th of the numbered TAG Convoys from Trinidad and Aruba to Guantánamo. The convoy was found on the night of 5–6 November 1942 by U-508. Kapitänleutnant Georg Staats sank two ships from the convoy on 7 November in two approaches aboard U-508.
SS William Grayson was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after William Grayson, a soldier, lawyer, and statesman from Virginia. Grayson was a delegate to the Confederation Congress from 1785 to 1787. He helped to pass the Northwest Ordinance, including a provision that forbade slavery in the Northwest Territory. He was one of the first two US Senators from Virginia, and belonged to the Anti-Federalist faction, he was also the first member of the United States Congress to die while holding office.
The GAT convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
The GK convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
The GN convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
The GZ convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
The KG convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
The ZG convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.