William Rockefeller
William Rockefeller
(Tanker: dp. 16,600; 1. 446'; b. 68'2"; dr. 27'6"; s.
10.6 k.; cpl. 51; a. none)
William Rockefeller—sometimes cited as William D. Rockefeller—a steel-hulled tanker built for carrying oil in bulk, was constructed at Philadelphia by William Cramp and Sons for the Standard Oil Co. and completed in December 1916. Acquired by the Navy for duty with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS), William Rockefeller was commissioned on 9 January 1918, Lt. Comdr. Richard E. Tull, USNRF, in command.
William Rockefeller conducted her maiden voyage for NOTS soon after commissioning, transporting a bulk cargo of oil from Philadelphia to England. After arriving at Sheerness on 18 March, she discharged her cargo and returned to Philadelphia on 9 April. She bunkered, underwent minor repairs, and loaded a full cargo of fuel oil before sailing on 28 April for New
The next day, she joined a convoy bound for Scotland and made port at Lamlash on 16 May. Three days later, the bulk oil tanker proceeded on for Rosyth. On 21 May 1918, the German submarine UC-58 torpedoed William Rockefeller, and the latter sank in just 13 minutes. While the tanker's two escorting destroyers subjected the German U-boat to a fierce depth charge attack, William Rockef eller's crew abandoned ship. Eleven men, including Commander Tull, the commanding officer, were awarded Navy Crosses for bravery. All but three men of her complement of 51 were saved.