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On Sun. 15 Mar 1942 British tanker British Resource, fatally damaged b.....

1942-03-15

The story

British tanker British Resource, fatally damaged by German submarine U-124 on the previous day, sank. After dawn, a PBO-1 Hudson aircraft flying cover for Allied convoy ON-72 sank German submarine U-503 245 miles southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland, killing the entire crew of 51. At 0604 hours, U-158 sank US tanker Olean 15 kilometers southeast of Swansboro, North Carolina, United States; 6 were killed, 36 survived. At 0722 hours, U-158 struck again in the same area, sinking US tanker Ario; 7 were killed, 26 survived. Italian submarine Tazzoli sank British ship Athelqueen 270 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida, United States (3 were killed, 46 survived), but would collide with the wreck of Athelqueen, forcing her to end her patrol early for repairs in Bordeaux, France. At about 1200 hours, U-161 sank US Coast Guard lighthouse tender Acacia with her surface guns; all 36 aboard survived and were rescued by destroyer USS Overton.

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