( Photo courtesy of Texaco Archives ) " Special Thanks go to " TWO " Remarkable Websites " : " usmm.org " ~    AND    ~ " uboat.net " Please visit these great websites for more by clicking above !

" Note "

The S.S. Oklahoma was attacked "twice" during World War II.

Both attacks resulted in the loss of some of her crew.

This page displays those lost in the " First Attack " on April 8, 1942 !

Page last updated:

September 12, 2019

Sinking on April 8, 1942

the " S.S. Oklahoma " loss " 19 " of her crew !

     The S.S. Oklahoma was built in 1940 by the Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Chester, Pennsylvania.   The Oklahoma weighed 9,298 tons and was owned by the The Texas Company, Wilmington, Delaware.   She was attacked "twice" during World War II.   The Oklahoma was first attacked in very shallow waters by German U-123 about 10 miles off St. Simon's Island, Georgia on April 8, 1942 with a loss of 19 of her crew.   She was towed back to Chester, Pennsylvania and restored to service.

     The unescorted and unarmed S.S. Oklahoma was hit by one G7a torpedo from German Submarine U-123 about 10 miles off St. Simon's Island, Georgia.   The U-boat had spotted two tankers and one freighter in the bright moonlight.   The torpedo struck the engine room and she quickly settled by the stern in 40 feet of water and the stern rested on the bottom after 45 minutes with the bow still visible over the water.   Most of the eight officers and 29 men abandoned ship in three lifeboats, but the master and three men reboarded the vessel when they heard screams.   They found one of the officers critically wounded, who subsequently died, and they could not reach some of the 18 missing men apparently trapped below.   The radio operator sent another distress message and then abandoned ship again.

     As fate would have it the same U-boat then torpedoed the S.S. Esso Baton Rouge at 08.44 hours which caught fire and sank in shallow waters with a loss of 3 Merchant Mariners.   The U-boat then returned to finish off the Oklahoma with gunfire.

The Master/Captain of the S.S. Oklahoma who survived this sinking:

Theron P. Davenport

     The following below list was created in the memory of those who "Gave Their All" on the S.S. Oklahoma in the second attack.   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

MM     =  Awarded the " Mariner's Medal " !
                   ( Awarded to the Merchant Mariner's for being Wounded, Missing or Killed In Action )

MM *  =  Awarded the " Combat Bar / Ribbon " !
                  ( Awarded to Mariner's who have been under combat conditions )

MM **  =  Awarded the " Combat Star " ( attached to the Combat Bar )
                   ( Awarded to Mariner's who are forced to abandon ship when attacked or damaged )

MM-DSM  =  Awarded the Mariner's " Distinguished Service Medal " !
                         ( Awarded for " Heroism Beyond the Call of Duty " )

MM-POW  =  Awarded the Mariner's " Prisoner Of War Medal " !
                         ( Awarded to Mariner's who served time as a POW " )

PH  =  Awarded the " Purple Heart " !
              ( Awarded to U.S. Military Soldiers & Sailors for being Wounded and/or Killed in action )

Other Medals
              Such as Good Conduct Medals, Campaign Medals, Defense Service Medals, etc.,
              " Are Not " included in this listing.

  =  Picture of person shown on online memorial

  =  Picture of tombstone shown on online memorial

" Family Link Included " = Parent, Spouse, or Child linked in " 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

( Those letters shown in " Maroon " currently have no one listed )

[ 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 Names starting with " A " ~ " 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 "
Baker,  Herman V.             MM ** ~ At Sea ~ N/A	Able-Bodied Seaman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Texas Missing In Action April 8, 1942	Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found "	" Yes " Cenotaph
Boyd,  Joseph Francis             MM ** ~ At Sea ~ N/A	Ordinary Seaman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Texas Missing In Action April 8, 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 "
Carmona,  Alfredo             MM ** ~ At Sea ~	Wiper	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Puerto Rico Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Palmetto Cemetery Brunswick, GA	" Yes "
Chorman,  Mattias J.             MM ** ~ At Sea ~ N/A	Messman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	New York Missing In Action April 8, 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 "
Dooley,  Richard Addis             MM ** ~ At Sea ~              " Family Link Included "	Utility Man	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Colorado Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Evergreen Cemetery Colorado Springs, CO	" Yes "

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 "
Edgar,  Arlice Darrell             MM ** ~ At Sea ~	Ordinary Seaman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Texas Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Harpers Chapel Cemetery Sabinetown, TX	" Yes "

Last Names starting with " F " ~ " 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 "
Geary,  Joseph W.             MM ** ~ At Sea ~	Second Cook	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Puerto Rico Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Palmetto Cemetery Brunswick, GA	" Yes "
Genter,  Arthur James             MM ** ~ At Sea ~              " Family Link Included "	Oiler	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Louisiana Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Palmetto Cemetery Brunswick, GA	" Yes "

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 "
Hance,  Lastie             MM ** ~ At Sea ~              " Family Link Included "	Fireman / Water Tender	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Louisiana Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Durio Cemetery Allen Parish, LA	" Yes "
Howell,  William Lawrence             MM ** ~ At Sea ~              " Family Link Included "	Second Engineer	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Texas Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Greenlawn Memorial Park Groves, TX	" Yes "

Last Names starting with " I " ~ " There Were None ! "

Last Names starting with " J " ~ " 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 "
Kroy,  Frank Joseph             MM ** ~ At Sea ~              " Family Link Included "	Able-Bodied Seaman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Texas Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Greenlawn Memorial Park Groves, TX	" Yes "

Last Names starting with " L " ~ " 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 "
Majba,  Stanley J.             MM ** ~ At Sea ~              " Family Link Included "	Fireman / Water Tender	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Pennsylvania Killed In Action April 8, 1942	St. James Cemetery Crossingville, PA	" Yes "
McGregor,  Robert Malcolm             MM ** ~ At Sea ~ N/A	Wiper	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	New Jersey Missing In Action April 8, 1942	Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found "	" Yes " Cenotaph
Mott,  James Edward             MM ** ~ At Sea ~	Fireman / Water Tender	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Louisiana Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Glenmora Cemetery Glenmora, LA	" Yes "

Last Names starting with " N " ~ " There Were None ! "

Last Names starting with " O " ~ " 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 "
Price,  John             MM ** ~ At Sea ~	Oiler	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Georgia Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Hillcrest Abbey East Cemetery Savannah, GA	" Yes "

Last Names starting with " Q " ~ " 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 "
Riley,  James             MM ** ~ At Sea ~ N/A	Messman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	New York Missing In Action April 8, 1942	Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found "	" Yes " Cenotaph
Rivette,  Charles             MM ** ~ At Sea ~              " Family Link Included "	Ordinary Seaman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Texas Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Palmetto Cemetery Brunswick, GA	" Yes "
Ryder,  Osswald             MM ** ~ At Sea ~	Messman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Louisiana Killed In Action April 8, 1942	Palmetto Cemetery Brunswick, GA	" Yes "

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 "
Sistrunk,  Charles Patrick             MM ** ~ At Sea ~ N/A	Ordinary Seaman	" Ship's Crew " Merchant Marine	Louisiana Missing In Action April 8, 1942	Cemetery / Memorial " Not Found "	" Yes " Cenotaph

Last Names starting with " T " ~ " There Were None ! "

Last Names starting with " U " ~ " There Were None ! "

Last Names starting with " V " ~ " There Were None ! "

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 )