Wreck of SS Black Point
USA /
Rhode Island /
Narragansett Pier /
World
/ USA
/ Rhode Island
/ Narragansett Pier
World / United States / Rhode Island
Second World War 1939-1945, marine, shipwreck
Laid down in 1918 as the coal carrier SS Fairmount for service with Coastwise Transportation Co. Inc, upon her completion of sea trials the Fairmount was acquired by the US Navy for transport duty in support of Allied forces fighting in the First World War. Commissioned as the USS Fairmont (ID # 2429) on December 18th, 1918, she made four voyages to France carrying cargo to supply the American Expeditionary force and for relief of war-caused famine following the cessation of hostilities.
Decommissioned on February 28th, 1919 and returned to her owners for commercial service, the Fairmount plied her trade under the name SS Nebraskan and finally the SS Black Point before war clouds again came to dictate her operations. Operated by the C.H. Sprague & Son Corp for the duration of the War and under the control of the War Shipping Administration, the SS Black Point made several transatlantic crossings to England and Ireland transporting coal during the first years of the war before operating in an intercoastal trade route as newer, faster ships replaced her in convoys.
After loading some 7,759 tons of soft coal at Newport News, VA on May 2nd 1945, the Black Point and her crew of 46 sailed for Weymouth, MA via New York Harbor, avoiding the open ocean sea lanes which had come under a recent increase in U-Boat attacks as a nearly defeated Nazi Germany attempted to disrupt shipping in hopes of obtaining better surrender terms. Three days out of Norfolk, the Black Point exited Long Island Sound and contacted the Coast Guard Station at Point Judith to inform them of her approach and destination. Passing the station at 1740hrs in moderate fog (5:40pm), she was spotted by the German U-853 which promptly fired a single torpedo at the ship.
Lookouts on the Black Point did not sight the torpedo's telltale wake as it sped towards them and all of her crew were unaware they were in any danger until she was struck in her Stern by U-853's shot. The torpedo struck the Black Point just aft of her #5 cargo hold framing and detonated inside her hull, causing an explosion which severed a forty foot section of her Stern completely off the ship, taking many of the crew and armed guards stationed there down to the bottom as it sank. Having lost her propeller and rudder, the Black Point slowed to a halt and quickly began sinking by the Stern as her crew abandoned ship onto her life rafts, sending only a brief distress signal before fleeing. Within 25 minutes of the attack, the abandoned Black Point reared nearly vertical in the water before capsizing and sinking Stern-first at this location at 1805hrs on May 5th, 1945.
The loss of the SS Black Point and 12 of her crew marked the last American merchant ship and crew loss from German U-boats in the Second World War, which ended for Germany two days later. Despite Kriegsmarine orders issued to all U-boats stating the end of attacks on Allied shipping effective at 0800hrs on May 5th, 1945, U-853 either ignored the order or never received it before she attacked the Black Point, which led to her sinking with all hands the following day in the waters off Block Island.
The wreck of the SS Black Point lies inverted at this location in two pieces in 85ft of water. Her Stern section is considered a war grave.
uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3509.html
www.navsource.org/archives/12/172429.htm
Decommissioned on February 28th, 1919 and returned to her owners for commercial service, the Fairmount plied her trade under the name SS Nebraskan and finally the SS Black Point before war clouds again came to dictate her operations. Operated by the C.H. Sprague & Son Corp for the duration of the War and under the control of the War Shipping Administration, the SS Black Point made several transatlantic crossings to England and Ireland transporting coal during the first years of the war before operating in an intercoastal trade route as newer, faster ships replaced her in convoys.
After loading some 7,759 tons of soft coal at Newport News, VA on May 2nd 1945, the Black Point and her crew of 46 sailed for Weymouth, MA via New York Harbor, avoiding the open ocean sea lanes which had come under a recent increase in U-Boat attacks as a nearly defeated Nazi Germany attempted to disrupt shipping in hopes of obtaining better surrender terms. Three days out of Norfolk, the Black Point exited Long Island Sound and contacted the Coast Guard Station at Point Judith to inform them of her approach and destination. Passing the station at 1740hrs in moderate fog (5:40pm), she was spotted by the German U-853 which promptly fired a single torpedo at the ship.
Lookouts on the Black Point did not sight the torpedo's telltale wake as it sped towards them and all of her crew were unaware they were in any danger until she was struck in her Stern by U-853's shot. The torpedo struck the Black Point just aft of her #5 cargo hold framing and detonated inside her hull, causing an explosion which severed a forty foot section of her Stern completely off the ship, taking many of the crew and armed guards stationed there down to the bottom as it sank. Having lost her propeller and rudder, the Black Point slowed to a halt and quickly began sinking by the Stern as her crew abandoned ship onto her life rafts, sending only a brief distress signal before fleeing. Within 25 minutes of the attack, the abandoned Black Point reared nearly vertical in the water before capsizing and sinking Stern-first at this location at 1805hrs on May 5th, 1945.
The loss of the SS Black Point and 12 of her crew marked the last American merchant ship and crew loss from German U-boats in the Second World War, which ended for Germany two days later. Despite Kriegsmarine orders issued to all U-boats stating the end of attacks on Allied shipping effective at 0800hrs on May 5th, 1945, U-853 either ignored the order or never received it before she attacked the Black Point, which led to her sinking with all hands the following day in the waters off Block Island.
The wreck of the SS Black Point lies inverted at this location in two pieces in 85ft of water. Her Stern section is considered a war grave.
uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3509.html
www.navsource.org/archives/12/172429.htm
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 41°19'25"N 71°24'7"W
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