SS Thomas T. Tucker

The SS "Thomas T. Tucker" (Hull Number 269) was a Liberty ship, built by The Houston Shipbuilding Corporation for service as a troop & weapons carrier. [ [http://www.usmm.net/l/toddhoust.html#231 Liberty Ships built by Houston Shipbuilding Corporation and Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Corporation, Houston Texas, for U. S. Maritime Commission 1941-1945] ]
Liberty ships were named after prominent (deceased) Americans, starting with Patrick Henry and the signers of the Declaration of Independence. She was named after Thomas Tudor Tucker, an American physician and politician from Charleston, South Carolina. He represented South Carolina in both the Continental Congress and the U.S. House. He later served as Treasurer of the United States.

Career

The ship was laid down on June 16, 1942 then launched on August 31, 1942. She ran aground off Oliphantsbos Point, near Cape Point, on November 27, 1942 during heavy fog while on her maiden voyage from New Orleans to Suez. [http://www.submerged.co.uk/tucker.php Scuba Diving: Thomas T. Tucker] ]

German U-Boats actively patrolled the South African coast during World War II. This resulted in the "Thomas T. Tucker" sailing close to the coast when the sea was rough. The captain misjudged the ship's location because of the heavy fog, assuming they were close to Robben Island. Thinking they were not far from Cape Town, her crew relaxed and later the she ran aground. After an investigation it was discovered that the ship's compass was out by 37°, although no conclusive reason was found for the incident. [ [http://library.thinkquest.org/C004138F/history/thomas_t_tucker.htm Thomas T. Tucker at Thinkquest.org] ]

Location

The wreck is located on stretch of rocks on the shoreline of Oliphantsbos Beach, within The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. It is split into three sections with a boiler higher up on the beach.

References

* [http://organizations.ju.edu/fch/1994pelt.htm The Liberty Ship]
* [http://www.usmm.org/libertyships.html Liberty Ships built by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II]
* [http://www.solentwaters.co.uk/Article%20Chest/Liberty%20Ship.pdf Liberty Ship dates]

ee also

* List of shipwrecks of the Western Cape.