WWII German U-Boat Casualty - W.E. Hutton
March 18, 1942: The W.E. Hutton was traveling from Smith's Bluff, TX to Marcus Hook, PA with 65,000 barrels of #2 heating oil. In spite of the u-boat threat, she was traveling unarmed and alone, but her master, Captain Carl Flaathen, had taken the precaution of running with lights out and black-out curtains engaged. But against a shrewd and experienced u-boat captain like KL Mohr of the U-124 this was not enough. At 2210, on 3/18/1942, a torpedo slammed into the bow, on the starboard side blowing out the forepeak. The Hutton started listing to the starboard side, but was staying afloat and making headway. The captain made the decision to try to make ashore where he could beach his wounded tanker. Eight minutes later, the U-124 launched another torpedo, this time with greater affect. It slammed into the port side at the #3 tank right below the midship house. The Hutton's midships quickly became a blazing inferno. Rafts and lifeboats were launched as the crew started abandoning the stricken tanker in order to escape the flames. At 2245, with its captain watching from a lifeboat, the W.E. Hutton sank bow first in the 70 feet of water. Although spread across two lifeboats and two life rafts, the 23 survivors had the good sense to stay together during the night. At dawn of the 19th, the all gathered into one lifeboat and started rowing their way to shore. They were picked up at 1035 by the MS Port Halifax and taken to the Savannah, GA sea buoy where they were transferred to a pilot boat and taken ashore. 13 crew were killed in the attack. Note: The wreck in this video identified as the Papoose has been correctly re-identified as the W.E. Hutton. WATCH THE VIDEO
