SS Meriwether Lewis

World War II Liberty ship of the United States

History

United States
Name| Meriwether Lewis
Namesake| Meriwether Lewis
Laid down| 19 May 1941
Launched| 19 October 1941
Fate| Torpedoed by U-634 3 March 1943
General characteristics
Type| Cargo ship
Tonnage| 10,856 tonnes deadweight (DWT)[1]
Displacement| 14,245 tons[1]
Length| 135 m (441 ft 6 in)
Beam| 17.3 m (56 ft 10.75 in)
Draft| 8.5 m (27 ft 9.25 in)
Propulsion|

* Two oil-fired boilers,
* triple-expansion steam engine,
* single screw, 2,500 horsepower (1,864 kW)

Speed| 11 to 11.5 knots (20 to 21 km/h)
Range| 23,000 miles (37,000 km)
Complement| 41 men
Armament| Stern-mounted 4-in (102 mm) deck gun for use against surfaced submarines, variety of anti-aircraft guns

The SS Meriwether Lewis (Hull Number 170) was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Meriwether Lewis, an American explorer who, along with William Clark, led the Corps of Discovery which explored the American West.

The ship was laid down on 19 May 1941, then launched on 19 October 1941. She was operated by the American Mail Line under charter with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. On February 7, 1943, the ship left New York as part of convoy HX 227, "bound for the United Kingdom and then to Murmansk, Russia."[2] According to the German Navy, in the early morning of March 2, she was identified as a straggler separated from her convoy; an initial attack by U-759 failed due to engine problems.[2] U-759 then contacted U-634, leading it to SS Meriwether Lewis.[2] One of four initial torpedoes stopped her; the second of two more torpedoes detonated the ship's ammunition cargo.[2] She sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 3 March 1943, southwest of Iceland at position 62°10′N 28°25′W﻿ / ﻿62.167°N 28.417°W﻿ / 62.167; -28.417.

By the time USCGC Ingham arrived at the site of the attack, all that was found was a 30-mile line of floating tires.[2] There were no survivors from her crew.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Davies, James (2012). "Liberty Cargo Ships" (PDF). ww2ships.com. p. 23. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
2. ^ a b c d e The American Maritime History Project (2014). Braving the Wartime Seas. Xlibris Corporation. p. 559\. ISBN 978-1493186150. Retrieved 2015-08-20.

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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1943

Shipwrecks|

* 2 Mar: Kyokusei Maru, Meriwether Lewis
* 3 Mar: Aiyo Maru, Arashio, Doggerbank, Kembu Maru, Oigawa Maru, Shirayuki, Sin-ai Maru, Stag Hound, Taimei Maru
* 4 Mar: Asashio, City of Pretoria, Marietta E, Tokitsukaze, U-87
* 5 Mar: Empire Tower, USS Grampus, Minegumo, Murasame
* 8 Mar: ′s Jacob, James B. Stephens, U-156
* 9 Mar: Fort Battle River
* 10 Mar: U-633, Richard Bland, Nailsea Court
* 11 Mar: HMS Harvester, U-432, U-444
* 12 Mar: HMS Lightning, HMS Turbulent, U-130
* 13 Mar: Clan Alpine, Empress of Canada, U-163
* 14 Mar: HMS Thunderbolt
* 15 Mar: USS Triton
* 16 Mar: Benjamin Harrison
* 19 Mar: Lulworth Hill, U-5, U-384
* 21 Mar: K-3, U-163
* 22 Mar: U-524, U-665
* 23 Mar: Delfino, Windsor Castle
* 24 Mar: Bungsberg
* 25 Mar: U-469
* 27 Mar: HMS Dasher, U-169
* 28 Mar: Caterina Costa, Ceuta, Masaya, Suwa Maru
* 29 Mar: U-77
* 30 Mar: SS Empire Bowman, U-416
* Unknown date: Sirène

Other incidents|

* 8 Mar: Ro-103
* 13 Mar: USS R-6
* 19 Mar: HMS Derwent
* Unknown date: USS Scorpion

1942 1943 1944
February 1943 April 1943

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