View source for SS China Arrow

{{Short description|Steam tanker built in 1920}}
{{good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=SS China Arrow 1941.png
|Ship image size=
|Ship caption=''China Arrow'' in December 1941, shortly before her sinking.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[United States]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United States|1918}}
|Ship name=''China Arrow''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship owner=*[[Standard Oil Co.]] (1918–1930)
*[[Socony-Vacuum Oil Company|Socony-Vacuum Oil Co.]] (1930–1942)
|Ship operator=*Standard Transportation Company (1920–1931)
*Standard-Vacuum Transportation Company (1931–1935)
*Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. (1935–1942)
|Ship homeport=*[[New York City|New York]]
|Ship route=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation|Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp.]], [[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=1385
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=2 September 1920
|Ship sponsor=Miss Fredericka H. Fales
|Ship completed=30 September 1920
|Ship christened=
|Ship commissioned=1 October 1920
|Ship maiden voyage=12 October 1920
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship identification= *US [[Official number]] 220680
*[[Code letters]] MBQG (1918–1933)
*{{ICS|Mike}}{{ICS|Bravo}}{{ICS|Quebec}}{{ICS|Golf}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]] KDGW (1934–1942)
*{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Whiskey}}
|Ship fate=Sunk, 5 February 1942
|Ship notes= 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=
|Ship type=[[Oil tanker|Tanker]]
|Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|8403}}
*{{NRT|5228}}
*{{DWT|13950}}
|Ship displacement=
|Ship length={{convert|468.3|ft|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam={{convert|62.7|ft|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship height=
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft={{convert|27|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}} (mean)
|Ship depth={{convert|32.0|ft|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship Armament=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship power=636 [[Nhp]], 3,200 [[Horsepower#Indicated horsepower|ihp]]
|Ship propulsion=[[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation|Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co.]] 4-cylinder [[quadruple expansion engine|quadruple expansion]]
|Ship speed={{convert|11|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}
|Ship capacity=
|Ship crew=
|Ship armament=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''''China Arrow''''' was a [[Steamboat|steam]] [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]] built in 1920 by [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation]] of [[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]] for [[Standard Oil Co.]], with intention of transporting oil and [[petroleum]] products between [[United States]] and the [[Far East]]. During the first part of her career the tanker was used to carry oil and gasoline between United States and Asia, later becoming a coastal tanker serving the [[East Coast of the United States]]. The ship was [[torpedo]]ed and sunk in February 1942 on one of her regular trips by [[Nazi Germany|German]] submarine {{GS|U-103|1940|2}}.

==Design and construction==
Early in 1919, Standard Oil Co. decided to expand its oil carrying business by adding four more tankers of approximately 12,500 [[Deadweight tonnage|deadweight]] to its existing fleet. A contract for these vessels was awarded to the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. ''China Arrow'' was the first of the four ships and was laid down at the [[Fore River Shipyard]] in Quincy (yard number 1385) and launched on 2 September 1920, with Miss Fredericka H. Fales, daughter of F.S. Fales, President of Standard Transportation Company, serving as the sponsor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oil Tanker China Arrow Launched at Fore River. |newspaper=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30753134/the_boston_globe/ |date=2 September 1920 |page=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=19 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref><ref name=miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=2220680|shipname=China Arrow |access-date=19 April 2019}}</ref> The ship was shelter-deck type, had two main decks and was built on the [[Joseph Isherwood|Isherwood]] principle of [[longitudinal framing]] providing extra strength to the body of the vessel. The ship was equipped with wireless of [[Lee de Forest|De Forest]] type and had electrical lights installed along the decks. The tanker had a cargo pump room located amidships, and had ten double main cargo tanks constructed throughout the vessel with a total capacity to carry 3,665,700 US gallons of oil.<ref name=mm>{{cite news |newspaper=The Nautical Gazette |volume=99 |page=10 |date=13 November 1920 |title=China Arrow Latest Type of Tank Ship. |number=20 }}</ref>

As built, the ship was {{convert|468.3|ft|m}} long ([[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]]) and {{convert|62.7|ft|m}} [[beam (nautical)|abeam]], and had a depth of {{convert|32.0|ft|m}}.<ref name=uslist>{{cite book |year=1922–1923 |title=Merchant Vessels of the United States |location=Washington, DC |publisher=United States Government Printing Office}}</ref> ''China Arrow'' was originally assessed at {{GRT|8403}} and {{NRT|5228}} and had deadweight tonnage of approximately 13,950.<ref name=uslist/> The vessel had a steel hull, and a single 636 [[Nhp]] (3,200 [[Horsepower#Indicated horsepower|ihp]]) vertical surface-condensing direct-acting reciprocating [[quadruple expansion steam engine]], with cylinders of {{convert|24|in|cm|adj=on}}, {{convert|35|in|cm|adj=on}}, {{convert|51|in|cm|adj=on}} and {{convert|75|in|cm|adj=on}} diameter with a {{convert|51|in|cm|adj=on}} [[stroke (engine)|stroke]], that drove a single screw propeller and moved the ship at up to {{convert|11|kn|mph km/h}}.<ref name=lloyds>{{cite book |year=1921–1922 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships |location=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]]}}</ref> The steam for the engine was supplied by three single-ended [[Scotch marine boiler]]s fitted for oil fuel.<ref name=mm/>

The sea trials were held on 1 October 1920 in the [[Massachusetts Bay]] during which the vessel managed to reach maximum speed of {{convert|11.25|kn|mph km/h}} and a mean speed of {{convert|11.13|kn|mph km/h}} exceeding contract requirements. Following successful completion of full load run, the ship was transferred to her owners and sailed for Philadelphia and from there proceeded on her shakedown trip down to Gulf ports of Texas to load her first cargo destined for the Far East.<ref>{{cite news |title=Port of Boston. |newspaper=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30756259/the_boston_globe/ |date=1 October 1920 |page=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=19 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=American Shipping |volume=XII |page=63 |date=25 October 1920 |number=4 |title=China Arrow Delivered.}}</ref>

==Operational history==

After delivery to Standard Oil, ''China Arrow'' was assigned to Arrow Line and proceeded to [[Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont]] and [[Sabine Pass, Port Arthur, Texas|Sabine]] to load her cargo. She departed [[Port Arthur, Texas|Port Arthur]] on October 12 carrying 10,640 tons of oil for [[Wusong]] and other Chinese ports.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Panama Canal Record |volume=XIV |number=11 |page=140 |title=Movement of Ocean Vessels |date=27 October 1920}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Galveston Daily News |title=Movement of Vessels. |date=13 October 1920 |page=9 }}</ref> After stopping at San Francisco for fuel in early November, the vessel reached [[Tianjin]] on December 4.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |title=Eastern and Foreign Ports. |date=8 December 1920 |page=21}}</ref> Upon unloading her cargo the tanker returned to San Francisco [[Ballast#In commercial shipping|in ballast]] on 6 January 1921 thus successfully concluding her maiden voyage.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=7 January 1921 |page=15 |title=Steamer Movements.}}</ref> ''China Arrow'' conducted three more trips from California refineries to China before being laid up together with several other vessels in August 1921 due to shortage of cargo.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30770124/the_san_francisco_examiner/ |title=Tankers to Basin. |date=13 August 1921 |page=19 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=19 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref> The tanker was reactivated at the end of September 1921 and departed for another trip to China on October 3 carrying 4,000,000 barrels of [[kerosene]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30770198/the_san_francisco_examiner/ |title=Along the Waterfront. |date=4 October 1921 |page=22 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=19 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref> For the next twelve months ''China Arrow'' remained in the Far Eastern trade carrying oil and kerosene to [[Hong Kong]], [[Shanghai]] as well as ports in Japan. On 3 February 1922 ''China Arrow'' was raided in Los Angeles by harbor police and prohibition officials resulting in confiscation of large quantities of contraband whiskey and arrest of the vessel's first officer.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=El Paso Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30770514/el_paso_herald/ |title=Harbor Police Raid Tanker, Get Liquor; Official is Held. |date=3 February 1922 |page=1 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=19 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref> In April 1922 the tanker transported 80,000 barrels of oil to Japanese-controlled [[Vladivostok]], this being the first oil cargo to Russia in many years.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=New York Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30770655/new_york_herald/ |title=First Oil for Russia. |date=5 April 1922 |page=14 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=19 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref> From October 1922 and for the next nine months the ship was chartered by the United Petroleum Company to carry petroleum products between Beaumont and ports in the Northeast of the United States. After the end of the charter the ship returned to her usual Asian service and largely remained there through July 1927. The tanker served mostly ports in Japan and China, but her travels also took her occasionally to places as far away as [[Calcutta]] and [[Madras]]. In December 1927 the tanker sailed to [[Buenos Aires]] carrying nearly 100,000 barrels of gasoline.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=12 December 1927 |page=15 |title=Atlantic Foreign.}}</ref> During 1928 ''China Arrow'' served route from [[San Pedro, Los Angeles, California|San Pedro]] in California or Beaumont in Texas to ports of New York, Boston and Philadelphia carrying oil, gasoline and kerosene. After a brief return to Asian service in 1929, the tanker was permanently moved to inter-coastal trade and remained in this capacity through the end of her career.

At about 05:00 on 26 July 1938 in thick fog while leaving Boston on her usual trip to San Pedro ''China Arrow'' nearly collided with the fishing trawler ''Dorchester'' which was rounding [[Graves Light]] just off [[Nahant]]. Due to low speed of the vessels there was enough time for both of them to change course and barely scrape each other's sides.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=26 July 1938 |page=5 |title=Fishermen Aground. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30836267/the_boston_globe/ |access-date=21 April 2019 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>

In January 1939 Socony-Vacuum decided to retire ''China Arrow'' due to her advanced age and joint with the government plan to build a fleet of new, more modern and speedier vessels. After conducting her last voyage to Beaumont in January 1939 ''China Arrow'' proceeded to New York in early February 1939 and was laid up there in anticipation of eventual break up. However, due to mounting shipping losses in the early stages of [[World War II]] the company was forced to reconsider and in late February 1940 ''China Arrow'' was towed to the dockyard of the [[Maryland Drydock Company]] where the old tanker was to be completely rebuilt at a cost of approximately {{US$|450,000|long=no}}.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=21 January 1940 |page=11 |title=Speedy Tanker Fleet Planned. |edition=Final |department=W |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30836347/the_san_francisco_examiner/ |access-date=21 April 2019 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=27 February 1940 |page=6 |title=Tanker Being Rebuilt at Cost of $450,000. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30836375/the_baltimore_sun/ |access-date=21 April 2019 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref>

On 9 August 1940 it was reported that the [[Maritime Commission]] approved charter of two American tankers by the government of the [[Soviet Union]] to deliver oil and motor fuel to the Pacific ports of Vladivostok or [[Nagayevo, Magadan|Nagaevo]] after the Soviet government bought over 1,000,000 barrels of high-octane automotive gasoline. ''China Arrow'' was one of the selected tankers when she was nearing the end of her rebuilding work. She sailed from Baltimore on August 17 for San Pedro upon completion of all the required work and reached her destination on September 5.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=17 August 1940 |page=19 |title=8,400 Tons Tanker Due to Sail Today for Vladivostok, Via San Pedro. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30836487/the_baltimore_sun/ |access-date=22 April 2019 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=9 August 1940 |page=9 |title=Okays Two Tankers for Soviet Trade. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30836465/the_baltimore_sun/ |access-date=22 April 2019 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref> After completion of all the necessary procedures and loading, the tanker finally sailed from [[El Segundo, California|El Segundo]] for Vladivostok on October 25 carrying a full load of gasoline. While ''en route'', ''China Arrow'' was approved for another trip to Russia and after returning from Vladivostok on December 24, sailed four days later with a similar cargo. During her second trip to the Soviet Union ''China Arrow'' collided in Vladivostok harbor with an icebreaker and had to go to the Hunter's Point drydock upon arrival in San Francisco for repairs.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=15 March 1941 |page=23 |title=Repairs on China Arrow Nearly Finished Here. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26542889/the_san_francisco_examiner/ |access-date=25 April 2019 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{free access}}</ref> Following completion of her third and final trip to the Soviet Union in May 1941, ''China Arrow'' proceeded to [[Aruba]] and delivered a cargo of fuel oil to Philadelphia in June of the same year.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |date=20 May 1941 |page=38 |title=Coastwise News.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=23 June 1941 |page=27 |title=Maritime Reports.}}</ref> After one more trip from the Caribbean to Philadelphia,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Delaware County Daily Times |date=23 July 1941 |page=16 |title=News of Shipping.}}</ref> the tanker was reassigned back to her original route between Beaumont, [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]] and other Gulf ports and New York and Philadelphia where she remained for the rest of her career.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Corpus Christi Times |date=1 August 1941 |page=2 |title=Marine News.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=9 August 1041 |page=20 |title=News of Shipping in N.Y. And Phila.:Arrived Yesterday.}}</ref>

===Sinking===
''China Arrow'' departed for her last voyage from Beaumont at the end of January 1942 carrying 81,773 barrels of fuel oil bound for New York. The tanker was under command of captain Paul Hoffman Browne and had a crew of eight officers and twenty nine men. In the morning of February 5 the tanker was off Winter Quarter Shoals, approximately {{convert|90|nmi|km}} from the shore and running a zigzag course. At approximately 11:15 local time the ship was suddenly struck on her starboard side in quick succession by two torpedoes fired by German submarine {{GS|U-103|1940|2}} around #8, #9 and #10 holds. The resulting explosion blew the oil over 100 feet up onto the air and immediately ignited fire in the holds. The steam firefighting system was employed and managed to extinguish the fire in #9 and #10 holds, but failed to do so in hold #8.<ref name=rb/> Seeing that the fire cannot be brought under control, captain Browne ordered the crew to abandon ship. Three lifeboats were lowered and everyone on board with the exception of the captain and radio operator Kenneth W. Maynard left the vessel at approximately 11:40. As the antenna was shot off after the first torpedo impact it was impossible to send the S.O.S signal, but the radioman managed to create an improvised one and send out the distress signal. ''U-103'' surfaced soon after about 500 feet away and the last two remaining crew members on board ''China Arrow'' had to hastily leave the ship. The submarine then proceeded to fire between 15 and 20 shots from the deck gun into the damaged vessel causing ''China Arrow'' to go down stern first heavily listing on her starboard side at 12:30 in an approximate position {{coord|37|44|N|73|18|W|}}.<ref name=dn2/><ref name=dn13/> While the lifeboats were well provisioned and had blankets, most men left the vessel in such a haste that many of them had only their pajamas or underwear on. At approximately 15:45 US Army [[North American B-25 Mitchell|B-25A]] patrol plane spotted three lifeboats with survivors, and relayed the message to the Inshore Patrol. They also spotted what they claimed to be a diving submarine and proceeded to drop four 500-lbs bombs from approximately 1,000 feet with unknown results.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Berkshire Eagle |page=1 |date=16 February 1942 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30991361/the_berkshire_eagle/ |title=China Arrow Avenged by Patrol Bomber. |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=26 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref> At 16:20 patrol boat [[USS Eagle Boat 56|''PE-56'']] and the Coast Guard cutter {{USCGC|Nike|WPC-112|2}} were dispatched to the reported location. The lifeboats managed to stay close together for the next two days while rowing towards the shore, and none of the crew suffered any serious adverse effects. In the afternoon of February 7 [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]]-based aircraft sighted the lifeboats again and continued circling them until ''Nike'' arrived at the scene and picked up all survivors by 19:45. They were then taken to the US Coast Guard station at [[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]] where they were all safely landed in the early morning of February 8.<ref name=dn2>{{cite news |newspaper=Daily News |date=9 February 1942 |page=2 |title=U-Boat Sinks Tanker in Daylight; 37 Saved. |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30836787/daily_news/ |access-date=21 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref><ref name=dn13>{{cite news |newspaper=Daily News |date=9 February 1942 |page=13 |title=U-Boat Sinks Tanker in Daylight; 37 Saved. |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30836775/daily_news/ |access-date=21 April 2019}}{{free access}}</ref><ref name=rb>{{cite book |title=United States Merchant Marine Casualties of World War II |last=Browning, Jr. |first=Robert M. |publisher=McFarland |year=2011 |isbn=978-0786446001 |page=31}}</ref>

For his heroism and distinguished service under unusual hazards, Captain Browne was awarded the [[Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal]] by the President of the United States. For the President the award was given by Admiral [[Emory S. Land]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usmm.org/heroes.html |title=Merchant Marine Heroes: Citations for Distinguished Service Medal Awarded for "Heroism Beyond the Call of Duty" during World War II. |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
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{{February 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:China Arrow}}
[[Category:1920 ships]]
[[Category:Oil tankers]]
[[Category:Tankers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Quincy, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1942]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II]]
[[Category:Ships sunk with no fatalities]]