The steam tanker " U.S.A.T. Merrimack " was built in April, 1920 by the McDougall-Duluth Shipbuilding Company, Duluth, Minnesota for the U.S. Shipping Board (USSB) and was first named the " Lake Floris ".

         It was renamed the " U.S.A.T. Merrimack " when it was purchaed in 1941 by the Merchants & Miners Transportation Company, Baltimore, Maryland and was put in service as a U.S. Army Transport ( U.S.A.T. ).

         On June 9, 1942 the unescorted " Merrimack " was en route from New Orleans, Louisiana to Cristobal, Panama with a load of Military supplies and a crew of " 54 ".

         They were hit by one stern torpedo fired by " German Submarine U-107 " about 65 miles southeast of Cozumel Island, south of the Yucatan Channel.   The torpedo struck on the starboard side just forward of the bridge and the ship immediately developed a 20 degree list to starboard and " sank 38 minutes after the hit ".

         All officers, except the Master Wilbur Flowers, and 30 other survivors abandoned ship in one lifeboat because the other was destroyed in the explosion.   That lifeboat was sucked into the still turning screw and it appears that none of the occupants survived the incident.   The men still aboard, including the master, had to jump overboard but only a few managed to reach the rafts that had been released.   The Master Wilbur Flowers, " 34 " crew members, " 8 " armed guards and " 1 " US Army passenger were lost.

         " German Submarine U-107 " was later sunk on August 18, 1944 in the Bay of Biscay south-west of St. Nazaire, in position 46.46N, 03.49W, by depth charges from a British Sunderland aircraft ( 201 Sqn RAF/W ).   All " 58 " of her crew were lost !

The ship Master / Captain of the
" U.S.A.T. Merrimack "
( who was lost in the sinking ) was:

Wilbur Flowers
" Cenotaph "
at the Maryland WW II Memorial.

Wilbur Flowers
" Cenotaph "
in Dorchester County with his wife Mildred.

The following below list was created in the memory of those who
" Gave Their All "
on the
" U.S.A.T. Merrimack "

               There are personal " Online Memorials " for each of these honored men that were created for them by using the " Find A Grave Website ".   On the " Majority " of the online memorials you will see a small biography for each soldier which may include:

Parent's, Grandparent's & Sibling's Names,
where & when they were born,
where they grew up,
when & where they enlisted in the service,
the military unit they were part of,
" AND "
where and how they actually died during the war !

MM     =  Awarded the " Mariner's Medal "
               ( Awarded for being wounded, Missing or Killed In Action )

MM *   =  Awarded the " Combat Bar ( Ribbon ) "
               ( Awarded to those who served under combat conditions )

MM **  =  Awarded the " Combat Star "
                ( Awarded to those who are forced to abandon ship when attacked or damaged )

PMM   =  Awarded the " Mariner's Prisoner of War Medal "
               ( Awarded to Mariner's held as prisoners of war during World War II )

PH      =  Awarded the " Purple Heart "
               ( Awarded to soldiers & sailors for being Wounded and/or Killed in action )

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.

An " n/a " in the " Photo, Awards, or Notes Area " means that they are not available for that Mariner, Soldier or Sailor .....

Cenotaph  =  A memorial stone only  ~  " OR "  ~  Remains not recovered  ~  " OR "  ~  Interred somewhere unknown.