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NavSource Online: Army Ship Photo Archive
Lost to enemy action, 11 January 1945

USAT Roanoke

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
American Campaign Medal - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Cargo Ship :
  • Laid down in 1919, as the cargo ship SS Lake Glasco for the United State Shipping Board (USSB) at Detroit Shipbuilding Co. Wyandotte, MI.
  • Launched in 1919
  • Delivered in October 1919 to the United States Shipping Board
  • Acquired in 1932 by Merchant and Miners Transportation Co., Baltimore MD. renamed SS Roanoke
  • Acquired by the War Shipping Administration, 1 September 1941, at Brooklyn, N.Y. as a time charter from Merchant and Miners Transportation Co.
  • Operated by Merchant and Miners Transportation Co. as a time charter from 1 September 1941 to 7 November 1941
  • Purchased, 7 January 1942, as a refrigerator ship by the War Department at Norfolk, VA.
  • Final Disposition, torpedoed and sunk by 11 January 1945 by U-1055 in the Irish Sea west of Anglesey, two crew men and two US Navy Armed Guard lost "The Roanoke was struck by one torpedo between the #4 hold and the stern, which was blown off by the explosion. The #3 and #4 hatches were blown out and the crew quarters, radio shack and the machinery were destroyed. She sank by the stern within three minutes although the bow remained on the surface for about one hour. Two crew members and two armed guards were lost. The survivors among the 38 crew members and 25 armed guards on board abandoned ship in two lifeboats and one raft and were picked up after about three hours by the Senga and the British patrol ship HMS PC-74 and landed at Holyhead on 11 and 12 January." UBoat.net
    Specifications:
    Displacement 5,550 gross tons
    Length 410'
    Beam 54'
    Draft 30'
    Speed unknown
    Armament unknown
    Complement unknown
    Troopship Passenger Capacity unknown
    Cargo Capacity unknown
    Cruise Radius unknown
    Propulsion
    one triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
    single shaft, 2,800shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Roanoke 13k SS Roanoke moored pierside, date and location unknown. Uboat.net
    There is no history available for USAT Roanoke at NavSource
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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