USS Omaha (CL-4)-- Part 4: And Yet Another German Blockade Runner Sunk

The Omaha returned the following day to the vicinity where the Rio Grande had sunk and again encountered  an unknown merchant steamer.  She once again challenged the unknown ship with her searchlight and again received no response to her signals.

This time, the Omaha fired two warning shots over the unknown ship's bow, due to the fact that she appeared to be dead in the water

An explosion on the ship was observed, followed by smoke billowing from her.  Captain Elwood M. Tillson ordered the Omaha's six-inch guns to train on the unknown ship and open fire.

Captain Tillson then allowed members of the crew to rotate topside to observe the gunfire since many of them were unable to observe the action against the Rio Grande the previous day.

The unknown ship was later identified as another German blockade runner named the Burgenland.  It sank by her stern  thirty minutes later.  Two days later, 21 of her survivors were recued by the Davis while the Winslow was able to retrieve an additional 35 crewmen on January 8, 1944.

--GreGen