U.S. Lightship Sunk Off North Carolina During World War I Surveyed-- Part 2

The Diamond Shoal Lightship No. 71 was built in Bath, Maine, in 1897, and is also known as the LV-71 and served as a beacon at its post for 21 years.

On August 6, 1918, the German submarine U-140 attacked the ship after torpedoing the unarmed American steamer Merak.  The U-140 then intercepted a warning from the lightship and attacked it, firing from its deck guns.  The 12-man crew escaped, but their ship went to the bottom.  Because of the LV-71's warning, it is estimated that 25 vessels escaped from the German ship.

--DaCoot

U.S. Lightship Sunk Off North Carolina During World War I Surveyed-- Part 1

Many Americans are unaware of the number of Allied ships sunk off the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts during World War II, but even fewer, including myself until a couple years ago, knew that there was U-boat activity off the Atlantic coast even during World War I.

From the August 31, 2015, MarineLink.com "historic WWI Shipwreck Survey Underway" by Eric Hawn.

The NOAA, USCG and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management began a survey of the Diamond Shoal Lightship No. 71 on August 30th.  This is the only American lightship sunk by enemy action during World War I.  And you thought it was only fought over in Europe.  Actually, ships were sunk off the U.S. coast by German U-boats.

The shipwreck is located off the coast of Beaufort, North Carolina, where it warned ships of the ever dangerous Diamond Shoals.  Just recently, the shipwreck was added to the NRHP.

The survey is being done by the research ship Sand Tiger.  Also participating are East Carolina University and the UNC Coastal Studies Institute.

--CooterLight

U-Boats Off the North Carolina Coast-- Part 1: January 1942

From the NC Wreck Diving Site. //// Little-known to most Americans back then, but the Germans were operating its feared U-boats off the United States Atlantic and Gulf coasts and really sinkin a lot of ships in 1942. //// The first ship sunk by a U-boat went down just 41 days after the U.S. declaration of war on Japan, January 18th. Five were sunk on January 19th alone. //// These are the ships listed as being sunk off the coast of North Carolina in January 1942. //// JAN. 14TH:The Brazos, freighter, sunk in collision with HMS Archer off Cape Hatteras. // JAN. 18TH: The Allan Jackson, tanker, sunk by U-66 off Diamond Shoals; 22 killed //// JAN. 19TH: Norvana, tanker, sunk by either the U-123 or U-66 off Diamond Shoals; 29 killed // City of Atlanta, passenger-freighter, sunk by U-123 off Diamond Shoals; 43 killed. // Malay, tanker, shelled by the U-123 off Diamond Shoals; 4 killed. // Ciltvaira, freighter, sunk by U-123 south of Diamond Shoals; 2 killed. // Lady Hawkins, passenger-freighter, sunk by U-66 off Cape Hatteras' 251 killed. //// JAN. 22ND: Olympic, tanker, torpedoed and sunk by U-130; 31 killed. // JAN. 24TH: Empire Gem, tanker, sunk by U-66 off Diamond Shoals; 49 killed. //// Happy Hunting for U-boats in Early Going. --GreGen