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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Sunk with all 18 crew by German submarine, 09 April 1945

US Army Coastal Tanker
Y-17

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Design 286 Harbor Tanker
  • Built by Levingston Shipbuilding, Orange, TX (YN 263)
  • Laid down, date unknown
  • Launched, 10 December 1942
  • Delivered to the US Army Transportation Corps as Y 17, 27 May 1943
  • Briefly ran aground at Egmont Key, FL, 26 June 1943
  • Operated in Caribbean, 1943-1944
  • Deployed to European waters, late 1944 or early 1945
  • Final Disposition, sunk about 25 miles NNE of Ostend, Belgium, by German Navy Type XXVIIB "Seehund" midget submarine U-5309, 09 April 1945 1
    1. Y 17 departed Southend, England for Ostend as one of six vessels compising Convoy TAC.190. At 0531 she was set afire by an underwater detonation at 51-22n 02-30e and sank within a half hour. U-5309 (LtzS Benediktus von Pander/Lt(Ing.) Martin Vogl) claimed a 1,000 ton tanker as sunk in grid AN8747, NNW of Dunkirk and returned to Ijmuiden the next day. While some sources siuggest the tanker was lost to mines laid by German E-boats, it seems fairly certain she was torpedoed. All 16 civilan crew, along with an Army radioman and Navy signalman, were lost, as follows:

    Oiler Donald L. Berthaume
    AB Libero Daniel Bongiovanni
    Oiler Leroy A. Boyer
    Chief Engineer Kelsie Clifton Caywood
    Oiler John D. Conners
    Master Alexander P. Farrar
    AB Robert Harris
    2nd Mate Leo E. Hendrick
    Chief Mate George C. Hogg
    1st Engineer Elliott K. Larsen
    Cook Marlin G. Morris
    AB Julius Willie Otto Naumann
    2nd Engineer Lawrence E. Neil
    AB Clifton M. O'Brien
    Steward Everette Albert Parizo
    Steward Leland Haldeen Perry
    SM2c George Eugene Jorgensen (316 86 64) USN
    T/4 Theodore John Wieszchon (36333573) USAR
    Specifications:
    Displacement 484 tons
    Length 162'
    Beam 27'
    Draft 13'
    Speed 9 kts
    Complement 23 (including gun crew of 6)
    Armament two single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Cargo Capacity 280,000 gallons
    Propulsion one 6-cyl diesel engine
    single screw 400shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
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    Y-17
    302001701    		 44k Memorial to the crew of Y 17 in St. Andrews Church, Hamble, Hampshire. Photo by Clive Farmer via iwm.org.uk Dave Wright
    There is no history record available for Y-17 at NavSource
    Commanding Officers
    01Master Alexander P. Farrar, USATS???? - 09 April 1945✝

    Courtesy Dave Wright
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    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo and is maintained by David L. Wright
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    Last Updated 16 April 2021