Text Source: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Photo Source: Photo Section Naval History Center 202-433-2765

Henry R. Mallory, a troop transport, was built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry dock Co., Newport News, VA., in 1916, and operated by Mallory Lines before being acquired by the Navy 13 April 1918. She was commissioned by the Navy 17 April 1918. The transport was used to carry members of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe through the submarine-infested waters, carrying up to 2,200 troops per passage. After the war, she was transferred to the War Department, 23 October 1919, and later acquired by Agwilines, Inc. After many years of passenger service, she was used as a troopship by the War Shipping Administration in World War II. Henry R. Mallory was torpedoed and sunk 500 miles south of Iceland 7 February 1943.

The Mallory was torpedoed in the Atlantic on 7 February 1943 by U-402 one of 20 U-boats that converged on convoy SC-118. The convoy had 61 ships sailing and their escorts consisted of 8 ships. Of the total of 69 ships sailing in convoy SC-118 the U-boats sunk 11 ships and of the 20 attacking U-boats 3 were sunk. The sinking of the Mallory by the German U-boat's Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Freiherr von Forstner was one of the heaviest losses of life during the Atlantic Merchant Marine crossings of WWII. That same day the USCGC Ingham also rescued survivors from the SS Robert E. Hopkins a 6,625 ton US ship sunk by U-402 and the SS West Portal a 5,376 ton US ship sunk by U-413. The attack took place 600 miles SSW of Iceland (55.18 North/26.29 West) while en route from New York to Reykjavik, Iceland via Halifax, Nova Scotia in Convoy SC-118 (#33) with a cargo of clothing, food, trucks, cigarettes, and 610 bags of mail and 383 passengers. The passengers were 136 U.S. Army personel, 72 Marine Corps personel, 173 Navy personel and 2 civillians. In addition to the passengers, the ship carried a crew of 77 and an Armed Guard of 34. There were 270 men lost and 224 were saved. It is definitely knowan that 39 crew members were lost.

Excerpts from the sinking report of the MALLORY.

SS Henry R. Mallory
Master: Horace Rudolph Weaver (lost during the sinking on 7 Feb. '43) Gross Tons: 6442 Built 1916 at Newport News, Virginia. Dimensions: 424' x 54" x 22"

At 0538 GCT, a torpedo struck on the starboard side at #3 hold. After being hit, the ship did not list, or settle in the water. The main steam lines let go and the engines were secured. There was no fire and no radio damage. It was firmly believed the ship would stay afloat for some time, Two of the after lifeboats were damaged when the hatch covers from #4 hold blew off and landed on them. Number 9 liferaft was blown out of its chocks and #10 was damaged. All of a sudden, the ship started to go down with the stern awash and a port list. Within 30 minutes after the attack the ship was gone.

When the ship started to list and go down by the stern, the abandonment of the vessel began. The only boat to get away safely from the starboard side was #5, and it was fully loaded. Number 1 and #3 lifeboats capsized when they hit the water. On the port side, #6 and #8 boats were the only ones to get away. Number 2 and #4 capsized when lowered. The majority of the men on board jumped overboard and climbed aboard rafts. Some liferafts were tied down with one inch lines and could not be cut or untied in time so these went down with the ship. The survivors were not sighted until 4 hours after the attack. No one in the convoy or in the 11 escort vessels knew the MALLORY had been hit. The skipper of the USS SCHENCK (DD-159) who was sweeping well astern of the convoy for survivors from the British ship SS TOWARD, saw lights in the distance and started to head in that direction. When he requested permission to investigate the lights, it was denied and he was informed the H.M.S. LOBELIA would recover the survivors. This decision cost the lives of scores of men struggling in the ice cold water. About 4 hours after the attack, the USCGC BIBB found a boat with survivors from the MALLORY and it was only then that it was discovered the MALLORY had been hit. The BIBB picked up 205 survivors, three of whom died on board after being rescued. The USCGC INGHAM picked up 22 survivors, two of whom died aboard the cutter.

The lifeboats that did get away from the MALLORY were dangerously overloaded with 70-75 men. the bilge pumps failed to work so they bailed with their caps, cans or anything that would hold water. The men who were scantily clad died. Men on box-type rafts were better in condition than those recovered from the donut-type raft. Many were sighted within the donut rafts already dead from exposure and constant immersion in the very cold water.

The U-402 commanded by von Forstner was bombed and sunk in Mid Atlantic by aircraft from the USS CARD (CVE-11) on October 13, 1943. There were no survivors.

The following is a list of the survivors from the S.S. Henry R. Mallory rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter INGHAM on 7 February, 1943;

Rinehimer, Edgar W.	U.S. Army	(01639551) 2nd Lt. Signal Corps.
Swan, Garth V.	U.S. Army	(0393943) 2nd Lt. Field Arty.
Van Dalsem, Donald R.	U.S. Army	(01639759) 2nd Lt. Signal Corps.
Cozine, Alfred L.	U.S. Army	(10040604) Corporal
Rothbauer, Robert W.	U.S. Army	(17051631) Corporal
Zulkibwicz, Joseph	U.S. Army	(33351918) Pvt. 1c
Labrozzi, Albert	U.S. Army	(32502741) Pvt.1c
Applegate, Lee C.	U.S. Army	(39311482) Pvt. 1c
Clayton, Lawerence D.	U.S. Army	(37217273) Pvt. 1c
Campbell, John W.	U.S. Army	(37427273) Pvt. 1c
Anderson, William P.	U.S. Navy (R)	(624-71-62) M.M. 2c
Durch, George F.	U.S. Navy (R)	(669-36-68) M.M. 2c
Deyak, William F.	U.S. Navy (R)	(639001-81) Mo.M.M. 2c
Dunokeo, F. J.	U.S. Navy (R)	(628-20424) Mo.M.M. 2c
Kallansa, Virgil L.	U.S. Navy (R)	(669-26-04) C.M.3c
Hunkins, Robert H.	U.S. Navy (R)	(573-01-88) S.C. 3c
Cox, Edward R.	U.S. Navy (R)	(614-89-08) F. 3c
Pacifico, C. C.	U.S. Navy (R)	(639-31-89) Sea. 2c
Bogus, Tony	Merchant Marine	Butcher
Liscombe, James S.	Merchant Marine	Crew Mess

Buried at sea after expiring aboard the INGHAM.

Jenkins, James J. / U.S. Navy (R)
Lauback, Thomas H. / U.S. Navy (R)

 

Certified to be a true and correct copy:

K. O. A. Zittel, Comdr., USCG