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SHIPWRECKS OF FLORIDA

Unlike many other parts of the world many of the shipwrecks around Florida are not naturally occurring, but have been sunk to form artificial reefs. Florida has more artificial reefs than any other areas in the world and also sports the two largest ships every sunk intentionally for recreational use.
1. USS ORISKANY - 32,000 ton Aircraft Carrier
2. SPIEGEL GROVE - 6880 ton Landing Dock Ship

and soon the USAFS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg - 9,950 tons - pictured below. The proposed date of sinking is the 5th May 2008. She will be added to the Florida Artificial Reef Program.

As for other shipwrecks, they would seem to be very sparse as very few naval conflicts have occurred around the state of Florida. WW1 yielded none and even WW2 yielded just few shipwrecks from U-boat attacks on Merchant Ships in the Gulf of Mexico and on the east coast of Florida. Compared to that of say the English Channel, the number is very small.

Also the detection of shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico is somewhat of a challenge because of the very deep water that occurs once you get some 100 miles offshore. There are many more to be found but they will only be able to be investigated by ROV's etc.

Capt. Tony Allen 17th October 2007

 AUE (Association of Underwater Explorers) IDENTIFY the MUNGER T BALL and the JOSEPH M CUDHAY in the Gulf of Mexico.


www.uwex.us

The shipwrecks known as the PHOSPHATE WRECK and the "OIL WRECK" in the Gulf of Mexico off Fort Myers have been identified by the Association of Underwater Explorers as the MUNGER T BALL (Phosphate Wreck) and the JOSEPH M CUDAHY (Oil Wreck). The search for the "NORLINDO" continues, but she's probably in very deep water.

 NEW UNDERWATER DISCOVERY ON FLORIDA'S GULF COAST


In 1967 a Coastguard Grumman Albatross plane was lost answering a distress call to a vessel called the "Flying Fish". The weather conditions at the time were reported as winds 15 knots, seas 2 to 3 feet, but the visibility was zero as the search area was covered in fog.

In 2006 a local charter fishing Captain reported an obstruction that he had found in the Gulf to Michael C Barnette of the AUE (Association of Underwater Explorers)

In July 2006 Michael Barnette and colleagues dived on the site and found that it was the lost Grumman Albatross plane. Only three of the crew were recovered after the accident.

 

Vessels lost & damaged in the Gulf of Mexico during WW2
This is just a History List
Some have been found and identified, some have not!

On July 30, 1942 the passenger freighter  Robert E. Lee, bound from Trinidad to New Orleans, was steaming across the Gulf of Mexico with its naval escort, PC 566.  Forty-five miles from the safety of the Mississippi River, Robert E. Lee was struck by a single torpedo launched from the German submarine U-166 type 1XC, which had been patrolling in the area.  As passengers and crew raced for the lifeboats and life rafts, the Robert E. Lee began to sink quickly.  As the freighter slipped beneath the waves, PC-566 made contact with the U-boat and charged in for the attack.  After dropping ten depth charges in the area where contact had been made, an oil slick was seen on the surface.  No other evidence appeared that would have indicated the U-boat had been sunk, so it was believed that the submarine had escaped. 
 

In January 2001, while surveying a proposed pipeline route for BP Exploration and Shell international, C&C Technologies located the wreck of the Robert E. Lee using the HUGIN 3000 AUV.  Nearby was another area of wreckage that C&C marine archaeologists thought might be the long sought after U-166. 

Further investigations of this wreckage with the HUGIN 3000 AUV, sponsored by BP and Shell, revealed spectacular side scan and multibeam imagery that further supported the hypothesis that this was U-166. 

On May 31, 2001 a research team comprised of individuals from C&C, the Mineral Management Service , BP and Shell conducted an ROV investigation of the Robert E. Lee site and the additional wreckage.  This expedition not only documented Robert E. Lee shipwreck, but also verified the second wreckage as that of U-166.

The discovery of U-166, 140 miles east of where it was thought to have been lost, corrected a historical error and solved one of the long-standing shipwreck mysteries in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

The U-166 was the only German casualty of WW2 in the Gulf of Mexico

For more information please visit this great website at http://www.pastfoundation.org/DeepWrecks/ and view the amazing photographs obtained by a ROV.

 

Four vessels during 1942 were destroyed by minefields laid down by the American Forces off Key West. These were three steam freighters, the Edward Luckenbach, Bosiljka, Gunvor and the US Navy Destroyer Sturtevant.

 
Date Ship Type Cause Result Deaths
03/11/42 Halo
 		 American Steam Tanker
6,986 tons		 Torpedo
U-130		 Damaged None
04/26/42 USS Sturtevant
Lies in 60 feet
24.45.857N
82.01.174W		 American 4 stack Destroyer
(DD-240)		 Hit an Allied Mine Sunk Crew 15
05/04/42 Joseph M. Cudahy
Lies in 145 feet
Identified by the AUE as the
"OIL WK"
 25.01.370N
82.45.380W		 American Steam Tanker
6,950 tons		 Torpedo
U-507		 Sunk Crew 27
05/04/42 Munger T. Ball
Lies in 423 feet
Identified by the AUE as the "PHOSPHATE WK"
 25.10.13N
84.00.34W		 American Steam Tanker
5,104 tons
built as Lilmae , in 1927 renamed Chilsco, 1935 renamed Munger T Ball		 Torpedo & machine-gunned by
U-507		 Sunk Crew 30
05/04/42 Norlindo
U-507 reports sunk in
 24.57N/84.00W		 American Steam Freighter
2,686 tons
Built as Lake Glaucus for US Shipping Board, Washington DC. 1925 sold to Merchants & Miners Transportation Co, Baltimore MD and renamed Volusia. In 1941 sold to Norlasco SS Co, New York and renamed Norlindo, but in the same year given back to Merchants & Miners Transportation Co.		 Torpedo
U-507		 Sunk Crew 5
05/06/42 Alcoa Puritan
Located in 6,400 feet
U-507 reports sunk in
 28.35N/88.22W 		American Steam Freighter
6,795 tons		 Torpedo & Shelled
U-507		 Sunk None
05/06/42 Ontario
U-507 reports sunk in
 28.11N/87.32W		 Honduras Steam Freighter
3,099 tons
 		 Shelled
U-507 		Sunk None
05/08/42 Torny
U-507 reports sunk in
 26.40N/86.40W		 Norwegian Steam Freighter
2,424 tons
 		 Torpedo
U-507		 Sunk Crew 2
05/10/42 Aurora

 

 American Motor Tanker
7,050 tons
built as steam merchant Miller County, 1923 converted to motor tanker, in 1927 renamed Aurora. 1942 transferred to US Maritime Commission, repaired and returned to service as Jamestown, in 1945 taken over by US Navy and renamed USS Mariveles (IX 197)		 Torpedo & Shelled by
U-506		 Damaged & repaired. Crew 1
05/12/42 Virginia
Located in 280 feet
U-507 reports sunk in
 28.53N/89.29W		 American Steam Tanker
10,731 tons		 Torpedo
U-507		 Sunk Crew 27
05/13/42 David McKelvey
U-506 reports sunk in
 28.30N/89.55W		 American Steam Tanker
6,821 tons		 Torpedo
U-506		 Total loss Crew 16; Ag 1
05/13/42 Gulfpenn
Located in 1,820 feet
U-506 reports sunk in
 28.29N/89.17W		 American Steam Tanker
8,862 tons		 Torpedo
U-506		 Sunk Crew 13
05/13/42 Gulfprince American Steam Tanker
6,561 tons		 Torpedo & damaged
U-507		 Damaged Crew 1
05/14/42 Amapala
U-507 reports sunk in
 26.30N/89.12W		 Honduran Steam Freighter
4,148 tons 		Shelled & scuttled by
U-507		 Sunk Crew 1
05/14/42 Eastern Sun Tanker Torpedo attack No damage None
05/16/42 Gulfoil
U-506 reports sunk in
 28.08N/89.46W		 American Steam Tanker
5,189 tons		 Torpedo
U-506		 Sunk Crew 17; Ag 4
05/16/42 Sun
U-506 reports vessel attacked in 28.41N/90.19W		 American Steam Tanker
9,002 tons		 Torpedo & gunfire
U-506		 Damaged None
05/16/42 William C. McTarnahan
U-506 reports attack in
 28.52N/90.20W		 American Diesel Tanker
7,302 tons		 Torpedo & gunfire
U-506		 Damaged Crew 18
05/19/42 Heredia
U-506 reports sunk in
 28.53N/91.03W		 American Steam Freighter
4,732 tons		 Torpedo
U-506		 Sunk Crew 29; Ag 5; Passenger1
05/19/42 Ogontz
U-103 reports sunk in
 23.30N/86.37W		 American Steam Freighter
5,037 tons		 Torpedo
U-103		 Sunk Crew 17; Ag 2
05/20/42 Halo
Located in 480 feet
U-506 reports sunk in
28.42N/90.08W		 American Steam Tanker
6.986 tons		 Torpedo
U-506		 Sunk Crew 39
05/26/42 Atenas
U-106 reports attacking vessel at
 25.50N/89.05W		 American Steam Freighter
4,639 tons		 Shelled
U-106		 Damaged None
05/26/42 Carrabulle
U-106 reports sunk in
 26.18N/89.21W		 American Steam Tanker
5,030 tons		 Shelled & Torpedo
U-106		 Sunk Crew 22
05/28/42 Mentor
U-106 reports sunk in
 24.11N/87.02W		 British Steam Freighter
7,383 tons		 Torpedo
U-106		 Sunk Crew 4
05/28/42 Yorkmoor
U-506 reports sinking this vessel with gunfire
29.30N/72.29W		 British Steam Freighter
4,457 tons		 Gunfire
U-506		 Sunk None
05/31/42 Cacalilao Tanker Explosion Damaged Crew 4
06/01/42 Hampton Roads
U-106 reports sinking in
 22.45N/85.13W		 American Steam Freighter
2,689 tons
 Built as Lake Galien, later renamed Hampton Roads		 Shelled & Torpedo
U-106		 Sunk Crew 5
06/02/42 Domino Freighter Shelled No damage None
06/07/42 Bayard
U-67 reports sunk in
 29.35N/88.44W		 Norwegian Motor Freighter
2,160 tons		 Torpedo
U-67		 Sunk Crew 11
06/11/42 Sheherazade
U-158 reports sunk in
 28.41N/91.20W		 Panamanian Motor Tanker
13,467 tons
Formerly a French Vessel		 Torpedo & Gunfire
U-158		 Sunk Crew 1
06/12/42 Cities Service Toledo
U-158 reports sunk in
 29.02N/91.59W		 American Steam Tanker
8.192 tons		 Torpedo
U-158		 Sunk Crew 11; Ag 4
06/14/42 Gunvor
Lies in 60 feet
24.55.413N
81.46.254W		 Norwegian Steam Freighter
 		 Hit an Allied Mine Sunk Crew 2
06/16/42 San Blas
U-158 reports sunk in
 25.26N/95.33W		 Panamanian Steam Freighter
3,601 tons		 Torpedo
U-158		 Sunk Crew 27; Ag 3
06/16/42 Managua Freighter Nicaraguan Torpedo Sunk None
06/17/42 Moira
U-158 reports sunk in
 25.35N/96.20W		 Norwegian Steam Tanker
1,560 tons		 Torpedo
U-158		 Sunk Crew 1
06/19/42 Bosiljka
Lies in 60 feet
24.58.200N
81.52.800W		 Yugoslavian Steam Freighter
3,009 tons
built as the Polycarp in March 1896, in 1912 sold to Sweden and renamed Augusta, sold again renamed Bia, in 1921 renamed Falco, in 1935 sold and renamed Bosiljka for Yugoslavian owners.		 Hit an Allied Mine Sunk None
06/20/42 Nortind
U-67 reports attacking vessel at 28.41N/89.34W		 Norwegian Motor Tanker
8,221 tons
 Formerly called Empire Onyx in 1942		 Torpedo
U-67		 Damaged  
06/22/42 Rawleigh Warner
U-67 reports sunk in
 28.53N/89.15W		 American Steam Tanker
3,664 tons		 Torpedo
U-67		 Sunk Crew 33
06/23/42 Major General Henry Gibbins (USAT)
U-158 reports sunk in
 24N/89W		 American US Army Transport
5,766 tons		 Torpedo
U-158		 Sunk None
07/26/42 Hameln
U-171 reports sunk in
 28.23N/96.08W		 Mexican Steam Freighter
4,351 tons		 Torpedo
U-171		 Sunk Crew 6
07/02/42 Edward Luckenbach
Lies in 65 feet
 24.57.830N
81.53.270W		 American Steam Freighter
7,916 tons		 Hit an Allied Mine Sunk Crew 1
07/03/42 San Pablo
Lies in 80 feet
30.11.305N
87.13.095W		 Panamanian Steam Freighter
3,305 tons		 Torpedo
U-161		 Sunk & refloated. Declared  constructive loss and sunk  
07/06/42 Hermis
U-158 reports sunk in
 23.08N/84.42W		 Panamanian Steam Freighter
5,234 tons		 Torpedo
U-158		 Sunk Crew 1
07/07/42 Paul H. Harwood
U-67 reports attacking vessel at 29.26N/88.38W		 American Steam Tanker
6,610 tons		 Torpedo
U-67		 Damaged None
07/08/42 J. A. Moffett, Jr.
U-571 reports attacking vessel at 24.47N/80.42W		 American Steam Tanker
9,788 tons		 Torpedo & Shelled by
U-571		 Total loss Crew 1
07/09/42 Benjamin Brewster
U-67 reports sunk in
 29.05N/90.05W		 American Steam Tanker
5,950 tons		 Torpedo
U-67		 Sunk Crew 24; Ag 1
07/09/42 Nicholas Cuneo
U-571 reports sunk in
23.54N/82.33W		 Honduras Steam Freighter
1,051 tons		 Gunfire
U-571		 Sunk Crew 1
07/12/42 Andrew Jackson
U-84 reports sunk in
23.32N/8102W		 American Steam Freighter
5,990 tons
Formerly called Salaam in 1940		 Torpedo
U-84		 Sunk Crew 3
07/13/42 R. W. Gallagher
U-67 reports sunk in
 28.50N/91.05W		 American Steam Tanker
7.989 tons		 Torpedo
U-67		 Sunk Crew 9;
Ag 2
07/15/42 Pennsylvania Sun
U-571 reports attacking vessel at in 24.05N/83.42W		 American Motor Tanker
11,394 tons		 Torpedo
U-571		 Damaged Crew 2
07/16/42 Gertrude
U-166 reports sunk in
 23.32N/82W		 Steam Fishing Vessel
16 tons		 Time-bombed
U-166		 Sunk None
07/18/42 Baja California
Lies in 115 feet
25.21.522N
82.31.901W		 Honduras Steam Freighter
1,648 tons		 Torpedo
U-84		 Sunk Crew 3
07/21/42 William Cullen Bryant
U-84 reports attacking vessel at 24.08N/82.23W		 American Liberty Ship
7,176 tons		 Torpedo
U-84		 Damaged None
07/30/42 Robert E. Lee
Located by BP in deep water during pipeline survey by ROV
U-166 reports sunk in
 28.40N/88.42W		 American Passenger Ship
5,184 tons		 Torpedo
U-166		 Sunk Crew 10; survivors of Stanvac Palembang & other ships: 15
08/13/42 R. M. Parker, Jr.
U-171 reports sunk in
 28.50N/90.42W		 American Steam Tanker
6,779 tons		 Torpedo & Shelled
U-171		 Sunk None
01/10/43 Norwalk Freighter Collision Sunk Crew 1
03/11/43 Olancho
U-183 reports sunk in
 22.08N/85.14N		 Honduras Steam Freighter
2,493 tons		 Torpedo
U-183		 Sunk Crew 3
04/03/43 Gulfstate
U-155 reports sunk in
 24.26N/80.18W		 American Steam Tanker
6,822 tons		 Torpedo
U-155		 Sunk Crew 30; Ag 6
12/03/43 Touchet
U-193 reports sunk in
 25.50N/86.30W		 American Turbine Tanker
10,127 tons		 Torpedo
U-193		 Sunk Ag 10


Map courtesy of US Minerals Management Service

There are a reported 7,000 shipwrecks located in the great expanse of the Gulf of Mexico. Although most of these vessels pose no threat to the environment, many carrying cargoes of fuel and other materials that may lose their structural integrity over time.

NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program is conducting and coordinating research directed at understanding the nature and rate of natural processes affecting the deterioration ferrous-hulled vessels lost off the coasts of the United States.


Ship wreck map of the Gulf of Mexico

Vessels lost & damaged on Florida's East Coast during WW2
This is just a History List
Some have been found and identified, some have not!

Date Ship Type Cause Result Deaths
02/19/42 Pan Massachusetts
Known as the "Copper Wk"
Lies in 296 feet
28.19.952N
80.00.028W		 American Steam Tanker
8,201 tons		 Torpedo
U-128		 Sunk Crew 20
02/22/42 W. D .Anderson
Lies 500 feet
27.14.375N
79.54.638W		 American Steam Tanker
10,227 tons		 Torpedo
U-504		 Sunk Crew 34
02/22/42 Cities Services Empire
Lies in 240 feet
28.23.804N
80.02.800W		 American Steam Tanker
8,103 tons		 Torpedo
U-128		 Sunk Crew 11
02/22/42 Republic
Lies in 50 feet
27.00.620N
80.02.686W		 American Steam Tanker
5,287 tons		 Torpedo
U-504		 Sunk Crew 5
02/26/42 Mamura
U-504 reports sinking at
29N/76W		 Dutch Motor Tanker
8,245 tons		 Torpedo
U-504		 Sunk Crew 56
04/08/42 Oklahoma
U-123 reports attacking vessel at
31.18N/80.59W		 American Steam Tanker
9,264 tons		 Torpedo & gunfire
U-123		 Damaged Crew 13
04/08/42 Esso Baton Rouge
U-123 reports attacking in
 31.02N/80.53W		 American Steam Tanker
7,989 tons		 Torpedo & damaged
U-123		 Damaged Crew 3
04/11/42 Gulf America
Lies in 60 feet
30.16.40N
81.13.40W		 American Steam Tanker
8,081 tons		 Torpedo & Gunfire
U-123		 Sunk Crew 19
04/12/42 Leslie
Lies in 85 to 100 feet
28.36.211N
80.16.262W		 American Steam Freighter
2,609 tons
Formerly called Josephine 1941, Stella Lykes 1941.		 Torpedo
U-123		 Sunk Crew 4
04/13/42 Korsholm
U-123 reports sunk in
 28.21N/80.22W		 Swedish Motor Freighter
2,647 tons		 Gunfire
U-123
 		 Sunk Crew 9
04/19/42 Esparta
Lies in 56 feet
 30.50.45N
81.09.58W		 American Steam Freighter
3,365 tons		 Torpedo
U-123		 Sunk Crew 1
05/01/42 Worden
U-109 reports sunk 10 miles
SE Cape Canaveral		 Nicaraguan Motor Freighter
555 tons		 Torpedo
U-109		 Sunk  
05/01/42 La Paz
U-109 reports attack in
 28.15N/80.20W		 British Motor Freighter
6,548 tons		 Torpedo
U-109		 Sunk and refloated and salvaged  
05/02/42 Ocean Venus
Lies 80 feet
28.23.216N
80.17.488W		 British Liberty Ship
7,174 tons		 Torpedo
U-564		 Sunk Crew 5
05/03/42 Laertes
Lies in 60 feet
25.28.531N
80.21.843W		 Dutch Steam Freighter
5,825 tons		 Torpedo
U-109		 Sunk Crew 17
05/03/42 Sama
26.04N/79.45W		 Nicaraguan Steam Freighter
567 tons		 Torpedo
U-506		 Sunk None
05/04/42 Eclipse
U-564 reports attacked in
26.30N/80.00W		 British Steam Tanker
9,767 tons		 Torpedo
U-564		 Damaged Crew 2
05/05/42 Delisle
U-564 reports attacked in
27.06N/80.03W		 American Steam Tanker
3,478 tons		 Torpedo
U-564		 Damaged  
05/06/42 Amazone
 Lies in 90 feet
27.23.452N
80.03.075W		 Dutch Steam Freighter
1,294 tons		 Torpedo
U-333		 Sunk Crew 14
05/06/42 Halsey
Lies in 80 feet
27.20.188N
80.04.020W		 American Steam Tanker
7,088 tons		 Torpedo 
U-333		 Sunk  
05/06/42 Java Arrow
U-333 reports attacked at
 27.35N/80.08W		 American Steam Tanker
8,327 tons		 Torpedo
U-333		 Damaged Crew 2
05/08/42 Ohioan
Lies in 600 feet
26.31.00N
79.59.00W PA		 American Steam Freighter
6,078 tons		 Torpedo
U-564		 Sunk Crew 15
05/09/42 Lubrafol
Lies 180 feet
28.58.682N
80.11.341W		 Panamanian Tanker
7137 tons		 Torpedo
U-564		 Sunk Crew 18
05/13/42 Potrero Del Llano
U-564 reports sunk in
 25.35N/80.06W

 

 Mexican Tanker
7,500 tons
built as F A Tamplin , 1921 renamed Arminco, 1929 renamed Italian Lucifero for Societa Italiana Transporti Petroliferi (SITP), Genoa, 10 June 1940 at Tampico and interned. 8 December 41 seized by Mexico and renamed Potrero del Llano (after Mexico's once great oil fields near Tampico)		 Torpedo
U-564		 Sunk Crew 13
05/28/42 Yorkmoor
U-561 reports sunk by gunfire in
29.30N/72.29W		 British Freighter
4457 tons
 		 Gunfire
U-561		 Sunk None
06/03/42 Empire Mica
Lies in 115 feet
29.28.724N
85.21.259W		 British Steam Tanker
8,032 tons		 Torpedo
U-67		 Sunk Crew 33
06/16/42 Manuga
U-67 reports sunk at
24.05N/81.40W		 Nicaraguan Steam Freighter
2,220 tons
 Formerly called Neptuno in 1941		 Torpedo
U-67		 Sunk None
07/07/42 Uptata
U-571 reports sunk in
 25.35N/80.02W		 British Steam Freighter
8,141 tons		 Torpedo
U-571		 Sunk None

 SHIPWRECK LIST OF FLORIDA
 

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