Action of 6 June 1942
Encyclopedia
The Action of 6 June 1942 was a single ship action fought during World War II
. The German
raider
Stier
encountered and sank the American
liberty ship
SS Stanvac Calcutta while cruising in the South Atlantic Ocean off Brazil
.
with a crew of forty-two merchant marines and nine armed guards
aboard. The ship was commanded by Gustav O. Karlsson
and the guards by Ensign
Edward L. Anderson. Throughout World War II liberty ships were lightly armed and out of the six to be attacked by German raiders, only Calcutta and Stephen Hopkins
offered serious resistance and both were sunk. When Ensign Anderson was assigned to the liberty ship he was responsible for finding armaments and it proved to be difficult. Anderson acquired one 4-inch 50-caliber naval gun salvaged from World War I
and an 5-inch 25-caliber anti-aircraft gun
from the same era to arm his ship. The Stier was heavily armed, she was under the command of Captain Horst Gerlach and mounted six 150-millimeter guns, one 37-mm gun, two 20-millimeters and two torpedo tube
s. Captain Karlsson left Montevideo
on May 29, 1942 headed north along the coast for Caripito, Venezuela
.
, Brazil, weather was overcast and the sea rough. Suddenly gunfire was heard and the Americans observed the Stier sailing out of a squall and quickly heading towards the Calcutta almost head on and signaling the Americans to cut their engines. The Germans apparently believed the liberty ship was an unarmed merchantman. Beforehand Captain Karlsson and Ensign Anderson had planned a course of action for defending the vessel. As soon as the Germans were spotted, Stanvac Calcutta turned to the side to bring her guns to bear and when the raider closed to an estimated 3,500 yards, Ensign Anderson ordered his gunners to open fire. In succession the armed guards fired five shots with the after 4-incher and several rounds of the bow anti-aircraft gun. The last of the five shells struck and disabled a 150-millimeter gun aboard the Stier just before it began delivering broadsides of four cannons and machine gun
fire.
Merchant sailors were trained and used to man the anti-aircraft gun, it fired continually throughout the battle though it misfired a few times because of old ammunition. In fifteen minutes of fighting the Calcutta was struck several times in the bridge and elsewhere, killing Captain Karlsson and a few other men. After hitting the Stier the guards manning the 4-inch gun were reported to have been encouraged and continued firing accurately until shrapnel damaged their weapon. The sights were destroyed but the Americans continued shooting until the ammunition on deck was exhausted. At this time Ensign Anderson ordered two men to retrieve more ammunition from below deck though as soon as they left, Captain Gerlach maneuvered his ship for a torpedo attack. When lined up, the Stier fired one missile and it dove into the water and headed straight for the Stanvac Calcutta where it detonated on the portside. Water began flowing in and the vessel started listing. A number of additional men were killed in the torpedo explosion and when it was clear that the Calcutta could not be saved, Ensign Anderson ordered the survivors to evacuate ship and he began to lower life rafts.
While operating the crank a piece of shrapnel entered Anderson's back, paralyzing his legs but he continued to lower the boat and after looking around to see if anybody else needed help, the ensign slipped over the side into an oil slick. With a broken leg Anderson swam over to a wounded officer in the water and attempted to pull him to one of the life rafts but the man died of his wound first and a few moments later the Germans lowered boats and began rescuing the Americans. The Germans fired 148 shells and one torpedo while the Calcutta fired only twenty-five, hundreds of machine gun rounds were also expended by both sides
in a mutually destructive battle.The SS Stanvac Calcutta was one of only two liberty ships to receive the title of Gallant Ship, an honor from the United States Navy also received by the Stephen Hopkins. Ensign Anderson was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander
before leaving the navy sometime after the war. The American prisoners were eventually turned over to the Japan
ese.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
raider
Commerce raiding
Commerce raiding or guerre de course is a form of naval warfare used to destroy or disrupt the logistics of an enemy on the open sea by attacking its merchant shipping, rather than engaging the combatants themselves or enforcing a blockade against them.Commerce raiding was heavily criticised by...
Stier
German auxiliary cruiser Stier
The German auxiliary cruiser Stier was a German auxiliary cruiser during World War II. Her Kriegsmarine designation was Schiff 23, to the Royal Navy she was Raider J....
encountered and sank the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
SS Stanvac Calcutta while cruising in the South Atlantic Ocean off Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Background
The Stanvac Calcutta was a 10,170 ton tankerTanker
- Transportation :* Tanker , a ship designed to carry bulk liquids** Chemical tanker, a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk** Oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker...
with a crew of forty-two merchant marines and nine armed guards
United States Navy Armed Guard
United States Navy Armed Guard units were established during World War I in an attempt to provide defensive firepower to merchant ships in convoy or merchant ships traveling alone...
aboard. The ship was commanded by Gustav O. Karlsson
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
and the guards by Ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
Edward L. Anderson. Throughout World War II liberty ships were lightly armed and out of the six to be attacked by German raiders, only Calcutta and Stephen Hopkins
SS Stephen Hopkins
The SS Stephen Hopkins was a United States Merchant Marine Liberty ship that served in World War II. She was the first US ship to sink a German surface combatant during the war....
offered serious resistance and both were sunk. When Ensign Anderson was assigned to the liberty ship he was responsible for finding armaments and it proved to be difficult. Anderson acquired one 4-inch 50-caliber naval gun salvaged from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and an 5-inch 25-caliber anti-aircraft gun
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
from the same era to arm his ship. The Stier was heavily armed, she was under the command of Captain Horst Gerlach and mounted six 150-millimeter guns, one 37-mm gun, two 20-millimeters and two torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s. Captain Karlsson left Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
on May 29, 1942 headed north along the coast for Caripito, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
Action
A week after leaving Montevideo at 10:12 am on June 6, the American ship was 500 miles east of PernambucoPernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, Brazil, weather was overcast and the sea rough. Suddenly gunfire was heard and the Americans observed the Stier sailing out of a squall and quickly heading towards the Calcutta almost head on and signaling the Americans to cut their engines. The Germans apparently believed the liberty ship was an unarmed merchantman. Beforehand Captain Karlsson and Ensign Anderson had planned a course of action for defending the vessel. As soon as the Germans were spotted, Stanvac Calcutta turned to the side to bring her guns to bear and when the raider closed to an estimated 3,500 yards, Ensign Anderson ordered his gunners to open fire. In succession the armed guards fired five shots with the after 4-incher and several rounds of the bow anti-aircraft gun. The last of the five shells struck and disabled a 150-millimeter gun aboard the Stier just before it began delivering broadsides of four cannons and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
fire.
Merchant sailors were trained and used to man the anti-aircraft gun, it fired continually throughout the battle though it misfired a few times because of old ammunition. In fifteen minutes of fighting the Calcutta was struck several times in the bridge and elsewhere, killing Captain Karlsson and a few other men. After hitting the Stier the guards manning the 4-inch gun were reported to have been encouraged and continued firing accurately until shrapnel damaged their weapon. The sights were destroyed but the Americans continued shooting until the ammunition on deck was exhausted. At this time Ensign Anderson ordered two men to retrieve more ammunition from below deck though as soon as they left, Captain Gerlach maneuvered his ship for a torpedo attack. When lined up, the Stier fired one missile and it dove into the water and headed straight for the Stanvac Calcutta where it detonated on the portside. Water began flowing in and the vessel started listing. A number of additional men were killed in the torpedo explosion and when it was clear that the Calcutta could not be saved, Ensign Anderson ordered the survivors to evacuate ship and he began to lower life rafts.
While operating the crank a piece of shrapnel entered Anderson's back, paralyzing his legs but he continued to lower the boat and after looking around to see if anybody else needed help, the ensign slipped over the side into an oil slick. With a broken leg Anderson swam over to a wounded officer in the water and attempted to pull him to one of the life rafts but the man died of his wound first and a few moments later the Germans lowered boats and began rescuing the Americans. The Germans fired 148 shells and one torpedo while the Calcutta fired only twenty-five, hundreds of machine gun rounds were also expended by both sides
Aftermath
Sixteen merchant sailors and armed guards were killed in action, thirty-seven prisoners were taken, of whom fourteen were wounded, one armed guard died later aboard the Stier. Two Germans were wounded and the Stier continued raiding for 4 months, sinking only two more ships before being sunk by the SS Stephen HopkinsSS Stephen Hopkins
The SS Stephen Hopkins was a United States Merchant Marine Liberty ship that served in World War II. She was the first US ship to sink a German surface combatant during the war....
in a mutually destructive battle.The SS Stanvac Calcutta was one of only two liberty ships to receive the title of Gallant Ship, an honor from the United States Navy also received by the Stephen Hopkins. Ensign Anderson was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
before leaving the navy sometime after the war. The American prisoners were eventually turned over to the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese.