Guys,  I'm needing some help here. I'm researching the SS Jacksonville from WW2.  I'm needing your help finding info on it.

Reason for searching.  I want to learn as much as I can about it.  This ship is the one my grandfather was on when it was double torpedoed on Aug 30, 1944.  He did survive and I've been talking to him about it.  There just isnt much info that I can find on it.

Thanks.

According to an article dated 5-13-03 it was stationed at the Norfolk Naval base.

All I could find.

Built: 1/44

Hull#: 45

USMC#: 837

At approximately 1530 hours on August 30th, 1944, the SS. JACKSONVILLE was torpedoed by U-482 in the North Channel entrance to the Irish sea. She was sailing in Convoy CU-36.

JACKSONVILLE was part of a column made up of S.S. ERIN, MEMMON, CAPE NOME and CROWN POINT that had just turned away from the main convoy on the way to Loch Ewe, Scotland. The U-482, commanded by KL Hartmut Count Graf Matuschka, was waiting for just such an opportunity. U-482 fired two torpedos and both hit. The resulting explosion broke the tanker in half, killing approximately 77 men in her crew and the Armed Guard on board. One merchant seaman, Frank B. Hodges, and a member of the Armed Guard, Marcellus R. Wegs, survived, both seriously injured. Incidentially, the U-482 went on to sink the HMS HURST CASTLE and then SS FJORDHEIM, the SS EMPIRE HERITAGE and SS PINTO, the merchant ships coming from Convoys ONS-251 and HXF-305. In her trip from Norway to the UK and back, U-482 traveled 2,729 miles...all but 256 of that underwater using a snorkel. The U-482 was sunk early the following year in roughly the same area after being caught in a British minefield laid there after the U-482's first trip.

This information taken from deck logs of the escorts, the convoy escort and convoy commodore's reports, Armed Guard

Reports,survivors reports, an interview with Frank B. Hodges, correspondence and interviews with seamen from other nearby ships, and the log of the U-482 among other sources.

Source: Provided by Mr. Theron P. Snell on 30 December 2005

- - - - - - - - -

A Poem:

Tanker's Hit

by Robert Goodwin

[Composed on SS Georgia a few hours after witnessing

torpedoing of tanker SS Jacksonville 8/30/44 in the North Atlantic,

with loss of 48 crew and 28 Armed Guard.

Only 1 crewman and 1 Armed Guard survived ]

Have you ever seen a tanker hit?

It's not a pleasant sight;

The ship from stem to stern is lit

With fires that burn so bright.

Smoke pours from her into the blue

And forms a might cloud,

Then turns into a ghastly hue --

A ship that was so proud.

Then men on ships about do stand

And sadly watch her burn;

There is no way to lend a hand,

Just watch, and wait your turn.

So down into a watery grave

She takes her gallant crew;

And all of those who had been brave,

A trip to heaven drew.

GMAN, Sounds like your grandfather was one lucky person.  Is he Frank Hodges?  Anyway, fascinating story about the Jacksonville.  I'm glad the others could help you find some information.

Tom

GMAN, I googled SS Jacksonville and found the other info the others had posted.  However, there is one entry in google that has some US Navy documents and photos of the smoke plume where the Jacksonville burned.  If I knew how to post the link I would do so.

Tom

Thanks alot guys.

More research I do on this more I learn about WW2 and how many Uboats were right off our coast line.  Especially florida.  

Also how many vessels were sunk or stopped before "we" were part of the war. WOW!

There is one thing that is really got me confused.  That is it said there were 2 survivors.  My GP is neither.  I'm going to do some more talking to him and show him some of the stuff you guys found and I've found.  I dont want to post up his horror stories he has told me from this though.  Quite amazing anyone lived through any ship sinking.  

Speaking of family on ships, my Uncle was a plank owner on the USS North Carolina. I am not sure what dates he was on it, but I know he was on it at one point.

                              -searoach