The steam tanker, which was to become the " S.S. Caribsea ", was completed in November, 1919 by the McDougall-Duluth Shipbuilding Company, Duluth Minnesota for the for US Shipping Board and was first named the " Lake Flattery ".   In 1923 it was renamed the " Buenaventura " when it was purchased by the Panama Rail Road Company, Inc., of New York.    In 1940 it was purchaed by the Stockard Steamship Company, New York and renamed the " S.S. Caribsea ".

     On March 11, 1942 the unescorted & unarmed " S.S. Caribsea " was enroute from Santiago de Cuba with a planned stop over in Norfolk, Virginia and it's final destimation being Baltimore, Maryland with a cargo of 3600 tons of manganese ore.   They were hit by a torpedo fired by German Submarine U-158 approximatley 11 miles east of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, North Carolina.   The torpedo struck on the starboard side at the #2 hold.   The ship rapidly settled by the head due to her cargo, was shaken by a boiler explosion and sank in less than three minutes in shallow waters with her masts still visible.   She sank so fast that no distress signals could be sent and the crew of eight officers and 20 men had no chance to launch the lifeboats.   21 of the crew perished with only 7 survivors.

The ship Master/Captain of the S.S. Caribsea was:

Nicholas Manolis

who was 1 of the 7 survivors in this sinking !

The " 6 " other survivors from the sinking were:

• Hector Arando  ~  Fireman/Watertender ~ Chile
  
• Elton Beattie Hewett  ~  Third Engineer
  
• Nickolas Ray  ~  Able-Bodied Seaman
  
• Juan F. Rivera  ~  Oiler
  
• Louis Salata  ~  Ordinary Seaman
  
• Gerald Albert Thibodeau  ~  Ordinary Seaman

     The following below list was created in the memory of those who "Gave Their All" on the " S.S. Caribsea ".   There are personal "online memorials" for each of these honored men that were created for them by using the "Find A Grave" website.   You will see a blue " Yes " behind their names and by clicking on the " Yes " you will see a personal memorial that has been created for them by myself or someone else.

Key to Abbreviations and Notes for the below individual records MM     =  Awarded the " Mariner's Medal " ~ ( Awarded to the Merchant Marines for being wounded, Missing or Killed In Action ) MM *  =  Awarded the " Combat Bar " ~ ( Awarded to those who are under combat conditions ) MM **  =  Awarded the " Combat Star " ~ ( Awarded to those who are forced to abandon ship when attacked or damaged ) Other Medals  =  Such as Good Conduct Medals, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medals, American Defense Service Medals, etc. " Are Not " included in this listing.   =  Picture of person shown on online memorial   =  Picture of tombstone shown on online memorial Cenotaph  =  A memorial stone only  ~  " OR "  ~  Remains not recovered  ~  " OR "  ~  Interred somewhere unknown. ( www.usmm.org/medals.html )         Quick Link by first letter of Last Name for the " S.S. Caribsea " ( Those letters shown below in " Maroon " had no crew members on this ship ) [ A ] - [ B ] - [ C ] - [ D ] - [ E ] - [ F ] - [ G ] - [ H ] - [ I ] - [ J ] - [ K ] - [ L ] [ M ] - [ N ] - [ O ] - [ P ] - [ Q ] - [ R ] - [ S ] - [ T ] - [ U ] - [ V ] - [ W ] - [ X ] - [ Y ] - [ Z ]   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Adorno,  Isidore             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Wiper " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Puerto Rico Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Arquero,  Mariano             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Steward " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Texas Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Baggs,  William H.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Messman " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Louisiana Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Bryson,  James V.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Bosun " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Pennsylvania Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " C " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " D " ~ " There Were None ! "   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Erlandson,  Karl B.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Chief Mate " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Flynn,  Thomas J.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Fireman / Watertender " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Gaskill,  James B.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~  Third Mate " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Maryland Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Fulcher-Gaskill Cemetery Ocracoke, NC " Yes " Cenotaph   Gilmore,  Raymond C.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~  First Engineer " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Indiana Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Lower Indiana Church Cemetery Knox County, IN " Yes " Cenotaph   Goldstein,  Clifford             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Cook " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Gonzalez,  Jose             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Fireman / Watertender " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Halpern,  Saul             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Radio Officer " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Hardy,  Thomas H.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Able-Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Maine Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Hunt,  John J.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Able-Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Michigan Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " I " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " J " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " K " ~ " There Were None ! "   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Larsen,  Adolph L.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Able-Bodied Seaman " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Virginia Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Lehay,  Joseph C.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Oiler " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Alabama Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Martinez,  Antonio             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Messman " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Puerto Rico Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Mason,  Charles G.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Chief Engineer " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine California Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " N " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " O " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " P " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " Q " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " R " ~ " There Were None ! "   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Sanchez,  Jose             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Oiler " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine New York Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Spence,  Hugh A.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Second Mate " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Texas Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Tewarie,  Kenneth D.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Galleyman " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine British Guiana Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " U " ~ " There Were None ! "   Last Name, First Name, M.I.          Awards ~ Place Of Passing ~ Photos Military Rank Branch of Service State / Country Cause of Death Date Of Passing Cemetery / Memorial  For Online  Memorial Click on " Yes "   Varner,  Marshall L.             MM ** ~ Off North Carolina ~ n/a Second Engineer " Ship's Crew " U.S. Merchant Marine Virginia Missing In Action March 11, 1942 Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found " " Yes " Cenotaph Last Names starting with " W " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " X " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " Y " ~ " There Were None ! " Last Names starting with " Z " ~ " There Were None ! " Email any questions or comments to: Russ Pickett ( russpickde@comcast.net )