User:Buster40004/Sandbox/Projects/SS Benjamin Ide Wheeler

SS Benjamin Ide Wheeler ---

The SS Benjamin Ide Wheeler was a 7,176 ton Liberty ship freighter. She was built for the WSA [War Shipping Administration] at California Shipbuilding Corporation and launched on November 27th, 1942. The operator was American-Hawaiian SS Co.

The Benjamin Ide Wheeler [Master Daniel J. Coughlin, 42 Merchant Seaman, as well as 29 U.S. Navy Armed Guard] had sailed from Hollandia, New Guinea on October 18th, 1944 with 1,200 tons of general cargo, as well as gasoline, vehicles, and 250 troops for Leyte, Philippines. The Benjamin Ide Wheeler arrived with her cargo and anchored about one half mile offshore. Of course there were many vessels involved in this landing at Leyte and all were anchored close in as was the Benjamin Ide Wheeler.

Not long after the above landings another of the ships carrying 3,000 tons of ammunition and a 1,000 barrels of high octane gasoline was the Liberty ship SS Augustus Thomas, which was attacked by a Japanese plane.

The Augustus Thomas did in fact shoot down this attacking plane....but that was only the beginning of her problems. As the bomber crashed one of its bombs fell over the side and blew a hole in the hull....which immediately flooded the engine room, as well as putting most of her working gear out of commission. This resulted in the beaching of the vessel.

Note: If you wish to read more in-depth on this particular Liberty ship event of the SS Augustus Thomas.....just click on this link and it will take you to the history that I authored and published on this .PDF file :

SS AUGUSTUS THOMAS

The reason I am bringing this to the readers attention is the evolvement of the Benjamin Ide Wheeler.

The Benjamin Ide Wheeler was nearby the Augustus Thomas, but this was only for a couple of days...they then moved away from that location to unload off the beach on October 26th. She later [Wheeler was along side the Thomas from November 11th till the 20th] came along side the Augustus Thomas and piped aboard steam that made possible the unloading of the Augustus Thomas extremely vital but perilous cargo. When the Augustus Thomas cargo was finally unloaded the damaged freighter was abandoned and turned over to the Army for repair.

The Benjamin Wheeler came under attack even before she anchored, which was about 0830, and drove off attacking planes four times. At 0900 the Armed Guard’s first kill was a Betty bomber that made the mistake of flying within range of the stern 3-in 50mm. The air attacks were practically continuous. A total of 118 were logged between October 24-30. On October 26th, a Japanese plane approached from the west with no warning what-soever and dropped at least two bombs that struck the water twenty feet off the port side amidships. The explosions sent water over the ship and drenched the gun crews. Shrapnel pierced the ship’s hull along the side, damaged the life boars and other gear, and wounded three Army passengers.

The following day a flaming Japanese bomber appeared from four miles away and headed directly toward the ship. Well the Armed Guards opened up with all they had...what they threw at this guy was so intense that they actually shot off the plane’s wing, which caused the plane to swerve and miss the bridge of the Benjamin Ide Wheeler. Instead of striking the bridge the plane struck the ship just above the waterline at the #5 hold. The plane and its bombs exploded on contact and ripped out a section 300 feet square off the side of the ship and made many smaller holes. The planes engine continued through the hold and passed out the port side of the ship. Of course fire broke out immediately in the #5 hold, which contained 400 barrels of gasoline. The crew fought the fire amid the exploding gasoline drums and flooded the #4 hold to prevent the fire from spreading. Immediately several smaller craft came to help fight the fire on board the Benjamin Ide Wheeler. Then a tad later the USS Cable (ARS-19) came alongside, and using her foam equipment, she extinguished the fire just after midnight of this frightful day.

Four of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard crew helped in transfer of a fatally injured seaman to the USS Wasatch. These four Armed Guard’s then returned to the Wheeler the next morning October 29th, after completing there grim task. The remaining Armed Guard were taken to nearby ships and returned to the Wheeler on October 29th.

Well the Benjamin Ide Wheeler slowly settled on the bottom [ the picture at the very beginning of this document is the picture of the Benjamin Ide Wheeler after her stern settled on the bottom and before she was pumped out] until crews finally got to her to pump her out....and then moored her next to the sunken SS Augustus Thomas, on November 11th, which as you’ve read was lost on the 24th.

Then came the third attack....carried out on November 17th when a Japanese plane dropped about 50-anti-personnel bombs. One hit the starboard boat deck, but most fell into the water around the ship.

The Wheeler was informed on the 22th she would be moved to the inner harbor but this move didn’t really move into the Tacloban harbor until December 25th and used as a depot ship. Well out of this whole messy event one Able Bodied seaman and one U.S. Navy Armed Guard were killed in the second attack.

The SS Benjamin Ide Wheeler was later towed to Suisun Bay, California Reserve Fleet on November 9th, 1945. Withdrawn from that location on May 3rd, 1947, she was scrapped in the USA in 1948.

The below pictures of the SS Benjamin Ide Wheeler was provided to me by a friend of mine Mr. Bill Layton Launching of the SS Benjamin Ide Wheeler November 27th, 1942 at Calif. Shipbuilding Corp.

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Author: Bud Shortridge Sources: A Careless Word.....A Needless Sinking By: Captain Arthur R. Moore U.S. Merchant Vessel War Casualties of WW II By: Robert M. Browning The Liberty Ships