SS Emidio

After the United States entry into World War I, a large shipbuilding program was undertaken to restore and enhance shipping capabilities both of the United States and their Allies. As part of this program, EFC placed orders with nation's shipyards for a large number of vessels of standard designs. Design 1047 tank ship was a standard tanker of approximately 10,100 tons deadweight designed by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. and adopted by USSB.

Hammac was part of the order for six vessels placed by USSB with Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation on 30 April 1918 and was laid down on 30 November 1920 at the builder's shipyard at Potrero Point and launched on 25 May 1921 (yard number 5274).{{csr|register=MSI|id=2221460|shipname=Hammac|accessdate=18 September 2020}}{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=26 May 1921 |page=19 |title=New Tanker Launched |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59532490/the-san-francisco-examiner/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=18 September 2020}}{{free access}} The ship was built on the Isherwood principle of longitudinal framing providing extra strength to the body of the vessel and had two main decks. The tanker had her machinery placed aft and a cargo pump room located amidships, and had cargo tanks constructed throughout the vessel with a total capacity to carry 3,369,862 gallons of oil.{{cite book |title=Fourth Supplement to the Fifth Edition Register of Ships Owned by United States Shipping Board |date=1 November 1921 |url=http://www.shipscribe.com/shiprefs/USSB_1920/supp4/Anahuac%20-%20Ice%20King.html |location=Washington, DC |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |page=5 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In addition, the ship had four booms and four winches to handle deck load and dry hold cargoes. The vessel had electric lights installed along the decks and was also equipped with wireless of De Forest type.

As built, the ship was {{convert|435.0|ft|m}} long (between perpendiculars) and {{convert|56.2|ft|m}} abeam, and had a depth of {{convert|33.5|ft|m}}.{{cite book |year=1922–1923 |title=Merchant Vessels of the United States |location=Washington, DC |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |page=101}} Hammac was originally assessed at {{GRT|6900}} and {{NRT|4248}} and had deadweight of approximately 10,000. The vessel had a steel hull, and a single 422 nhp ({{cvt|3,100|ihp|lk=in|disp=comma}}) vertical triple expansion steam engine, with cylinders of {{convert|27|in|cm|adj=on}}, {{convert|47|in|cm|adj=on}} and {{convert|78|in|cm|adj=on}} diameter with a {{convert|48|in|cm|adj=on}} stroke, that drove a single screw propeller and moved the ship at up to {{convert|11|kn|lk=in}}.{{cite book |year=1930–1931 |url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0376.pdf |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships |location=London |publisher=Lloyd's Register}} The steam for the engine was supplied by three single-ended Scotch boilers fitted for oil fuel.

The sea trials were held outside the Heads on 12–13 July 1921 with the tanker performing satisfactorily.{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=14 July 1921 |page=16 |title=Trial Trip Successful. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59530046/the-san-francisco-examiner/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=18 September 2020}}{{free access}} Upon completion of the twelve hour long trial run, the ship returned to port and after applying final touches was handed over to the USSB.

Following the delivery to her owners the tanker was laid up in Benicia due to scarcity of cargo and overabundance of tonnage. Hammac remained idle until the end of January 1922 when demand picked up and it appeared the recession was easing.{{cite news |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=24 January 1922 |page=33 |title=Port Notes. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59530211/the-los-angeles-times/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=19 September 2020}}{{free access}} After undergoing maintenance, the ship was chartered for one trip by Union Oil to deliver gasoline to United Kingdom. At the time there was widespread confusion as to why the delivery was effected from the West Coast when it was cheaper and quicker to do the same from the East Coast of the United States. Nevertheless, after loading over 3,000,000 gallons of gasoline the tanker departed San Francisco on 14 March 1922 bound for Thames Haven.{{cite news |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=14 March 1922 |page=18 |title=Hammac Sails Today. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59530593/san-francisco-chronicle/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=18 September 2020}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=16 March 1922 |page=23 |title=World Shipping Intelligence. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59643380/the-san-francisco-examiner/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=20 September 2020}}{{free access}} Hammac passed through the Panama Canal on 28–30 March and reached her destination on 21 April.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |volume=XV |number=34 |date=5 April 1922 |page=441 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels.}}{{cite news |newspaper=De Maasbode |date=22 April 1922 |page=2 |title=Buitenlandsche Havens}} After unloading her cargo, the tanker left England on 27 April and arrived at Port Eads on 19 May, successfully concluding her maiden voyage.{{cite news |newspaper=New York Tribune |date=29 April 1922 |page=16 |title=Marine Reports: Departures.}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Houston Post |date=20 May 1922 |page=8 |title=Marine News.}}

The tanker conducted one more trip carrying oil for Union Oil from the Gulf ports to Philadelphia before being switched to molasses trade. In that role Hammac carried molasses in bulk from Cuba to Gulf ports or Europe. For example, in December 1922 she brought in approximately 9,500 tons of molasses to Rotterdam.{{cite news |newspaper=Nieuwe Vlaardingsche Courant |date=1 January 1923 |title=Zeetijdingen. |page=19}} On her next trip the ship brought in a cargo of beet molasses from Holland to Baltimore. Due to lack of storage space for this type of cargo, it had to be unloaded into a discarded tanker Brindina.{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=19 May 1923 |page=17 |title=Port Paragraphs. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59734750/the-baltimore-sun/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=21 September 2020}}{{free access}} In March 1923 several tankers including Hammac, still in the USSB possession were sold to Union Oil and General Petroleum Corporation.{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=19 March 1923 |page=1 |title=Oil Companies Add Three Tankers To Their Fleet. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59530746/news-pilot/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=18 September 2020}}{{free access}} Following the tanker's arrival in Baltimore she was inspected and transferred to her new owners and departed for West Coast on 26 May reaching San Francisco on 15 June.{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=26 May 1923 |page=17 |title=News Of Baltimore's Port And Shipping Activities. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59548606/the-baltimore-sun/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=18 September 2020}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=17 June 1923 |page=21 |title=Arrived From Baltimore.}} Under new ownership, Hammac conducted one trip with a cargo of gasoline to Philadelphia in July 1923 before returning to West Coast where she was renamed Emidio after the San Emidio oil fields.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |volume=XVI |page=632 |title=Movements Of Ocean Vessels. |number=48 |date=11 July 1923}}

In 1923-1924 the tanker was largely involved in transportation of gasoline from General Petroleum refineries on California to London, with occasional trips up the West Coast. For example, in January 1924 she left San Pedro with 75,000 barrels of gasoline bound for London, and in November 1924 she carried 66,000 barrels of oil to Seattle.{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=15 January 1924 |page=6 |title=Port Notes. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59771457/news-pilot/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=22 September 2020}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=14 November 1924 |page=17 |title=Marine Intelligence. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59774894/news-pilot/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=22 September 2020}}{{free access}} In 1925 Emidio was shifted from her international duties to domestic, carrying oil and gasoline to ports both on East and West Coast of the United States, although she made one trip to Hamburg in September 1925.{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=23 September 1925 |page=1 |title=Export Million Barrels Oil Here Within 48 Hours. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59776328/news-pilot/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=22 September 2020}}{{free access}} For example, the tanker brought 74,000 barrels of gasoline from San Pedro to Baltimore in August 1925.{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=16 August 1925 |page=21 |title=Oil Products Discharged. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68398923/the-baltimore-sun/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 January 2021}}{{free access}} In 1926 through major part of 1928 the tanker continued to mainly serve her West to East Coast route. Early in 1926 rumors spread about possible merger between General Petroleum and Standard Oil of New York. These rumors were confirmed when representatives from both companies met in March 1926 discussing the proposed merger.{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=19 March 1926 |page=2 |title=Merger Held Aid To Both Concerns. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59777567/the-san-francisco-examiner/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=22 September 2020}}{{free access}} Following these successful negotiations both companies held shareholder meetings on 17 May 1926 which approved the proposed merger between the oil concerns. As a result, all assets including vessels of General Petroleum passed to Standard Oil of New York, however, General Petroleum continued to operate in California under its own name.{{cite news |newspaper=Brooklyn Daily Times |date=17 May 1926 |page=35 |title=SOCONY Holders Approve Merger. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59778605/times-union/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=22 September 2020}}{{free access}}

Starting in August 1928 Emidio was shifted largely to West Coast operation, carrying oil and petroleum products to ports of Seattle, Portland and Tacoma. Starting in January 1929 she also commenced making occasional trips to Vancouver, first arriving there on 17 January 1929.{{cite news |newspaper=The Province |date=17 January 1929 |page=24 |title=Marine Notes.}} The tanker remained in her coastwise service largely through the end of her career with some minor interruptions. In August 1931 while on passage from San Pedro for Oakland Emidio struck an underwater ledge off Point Arguello. The vessel made it to her destination where she was put into drydock for examination.{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=2 September 1931 |page=9 |title=Ask Bids For Tanker Repair. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68576009/news-pilot/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=26 January 2021}}{{free access}} The ship returned to service in approximately a month after undergoing repairs to her bottom at the cost of about {{usd}}55,000.{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=4 September 1931 |page=15 |title=Armes Bids Low On Repairs For Emidio. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68576154/news-pilot/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=26 January 2021}}{{free access}} Early in 1934 Emidio proceeded to East Coast again carrying nearly 9,500 tons of petroleum products to New York.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 February 1934 |volume=XXVII |number=7 |page=112 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}} The ship stayed in Gulf to East Coast trade for about three months carrying oil from Beaumont to refineries in Philadelphia before returning to West Coast in early June.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 June 1934 |volume=XXVII |number=11 |page=183 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}}

In May 1938 Emidio conducted one trip to Hawaii with a cargo of fuel oil arriving at Pearl Harbor on 30 May.{{cite news |newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |date=30 May 1938 |page=17 |title=U.S. Grant To Arrive Friday. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68604129/honolulu-star-bulletin/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=26 January 2021}}{{free access}} In October 1938 the vessel sailed with gasoline to Manila and Shanghai returning to West Coast at the end of December. Emidio was again chartered by Union Oil-Shell Oil venture to carry fuel oil to Boston in February 1939 returning to California in May.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 March 1939 |volume=XXXII |number=8 |page=146 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 April 1939 |volume=XXXII |number=9 |page=161 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}} The tanker again returned to the Atlantic in July 1939 with a cargo of fuel oil bound for Boston.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 August 1939 |volume=XXXIII |number=1 |page=14 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}} While there Emidio was involved with carrying petroleum products to and from Aruba. She returned to Los Angeles in October 1939 carrying over 10,000 tons of fuel oil,{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 November 1939 |volume=XXXIII |number=4 |page=69 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}} and in December the tanker passed through the Panama Canal on her way to Curaçao with 9,600 tons of kerosene distillates from California refineries.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 December 1939 |volume=XXXIII |number=5 |page=98 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}} Subsequently, Emidio made one trip between Aruba and Balboa bringing approximately 10,500 tons of fuel oil for fleet operations there. On her final Atlantic voyage she passed through the Panama Canal in early February 1940 carrying about 10,300 tons of fuel oil from Aruba bound for Los Angeles.{{cite news |newspaper=The Panama Canal Record |date=15 February 1940 |volume=XXXIII |number=7 |page=132 |title=Movements of Ocean Vessels Through the Panama Canal}} Upon arrival in California Emidio resumed her coastwise service there. In August 1940 Emidio was slated to travel to Japan with a cargo of oil, however, this trip was not allowed by the Maritime Commission.{{cite news |newspaper=The Vancouver Sun |date=8 August 1940 |page=18 |title=Two U.S. Sailings For Japan Banned. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68608093/the-vancouver-sun/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=26 January 2021}}{{free access}} In October 1940 Emidio made another trip to Pearl Harbor during an extensive ongoing expansion of Naval facilities in the Hawaii.{{cite news |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=26 October 1940 |title=Vessel Arrivals and Departures.}} On her next voyage she sailed with cargo of fuel oil for Manila at the end of November 1940 and upon return in January 1941 returned to her coastwise duties.{{cite news |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=26 November 1940 |page=34 |title=Vessels Arrivals And Departures.}}

With the hostilities raging in Europe and the Atlantic as well as deteriorating relations between United States and Japan, all General Petroleum tankers had American flag painted on their sides as neutrality markers in June 1941.{{cite news |newspaper=Ventura County Star-Free Press |date=25 June 1941 |title=War Scene Here; U.S. Flag Painted On Side Of Tanker In Harbor. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68609361/ventura-county-star-free-press/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=26 January 2021}}{{free access}} By October 1941 Emidio was the only General Petroleum tanker operating along the West Coast with the remainder being shifted to Gulf and East Coast trade.{{cite news |newspaper=Ventura County Star-Free Press |date=24 October 1941 |title=Big Tanker Loads Here. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68609723/ventura-county-star-free-press/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=26 January 2021}}{{free access}}

Emidio departed on her last journey from Seattle on 18 December 1941 bound for San Pedro. The tanker was under command of captain Clark A. Farrow, had a crew of 36 and was sailing in ballast after unloading her usual cargo in Seattle. The trip was rather uneventful until the early afternoon of 20 December. While Emidio was about {{convert|20|nmi|km}} off Blunts Reef, a bar few miles offshore of Cape Mendocino, lookouts spotted a submarine. The captain ordered the course change and increased the speed of the vessel, however, the submarine increased her speed too and closed in quickly to within a quarter mile of the tanker. At approximately 15:15 the Japanese submarine I-17 fired a shot at the vessel, forcing the captain to stop and order the crew to abandon ship. At the same time, the radio operator on board the tanker sent out an alert to the US Navy. As the crew rushed to lower the lifeboats, the submarine continued shooting at the tanker from its 14 cm/40 11th Year Type naval gun hitting it five times. One of the shells knocked off an unlaunched lifeboat causing its three crew members to fall into water and eventually drown in choppy seas. While the crew was disembarking the submarine stopped shooting and submerged. Two planes arrived at the scene and dropped depth charges at approximate submarine position with unknown result. After the planes left I-17 surfaced and fired a single torpedo at the tanker, hitting it in the stern. The torpedo passed through the engine room and exploded killing two out of three men still working in there.{{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=17}}{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=22 December 1941 |page=1 |title=Five Of Tanker Emidio Crew Lost |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68610981/news-pilot/ |access-date=26 January 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=News-Pilot |date=22 December 1941 |page=14 |title=Five Of Tanker Emidio Crew Lost |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68611088/news-pilot/ |access-date=26 January 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |date=22 December 1941 |page=8 |title=3 Life Boats Sunk By Under-Craft Guns |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68899276/oakland-tribune/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=30 January 2021}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=Statesman Journal |date=23 December 1941 |page=2 |title=Subs Jab Six Times at US. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68899949/statesman-journal/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=30 January 2021}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=Warren Times Mirror |date=23 December 1941 |page=1 |title=Bombers May Have Avenged Emidio Sinking. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68900133/warren-times-mirror/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=30 January 2021}}{{free access}}

Thirty one survivors managed to get into two lifeboats and a workboat and started to row towards the shore. After nearly sixteen hours at sea they finally reached Blunts Reef lightship in Humboldt Bay. There they were picked up by the cutter {{USCGC|Shawnee|WAT-54|2}} and taken to Eureka. Emidio was left by the crew in the sinking condition with her stern submerged, however, the tanker managed to stay afloat and slowly drifted up the coast of California until it ran aground on the rocks off Crescent City in early January 1942.{{cite news |newspaper=Sacramento Bee |date=28 January 1942 |page=7 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68900663/the-sacramento-bee/ |title=Torpedoed Ship Drifts Ashore In Crescent Harbor. |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=30 January 2021}}{{free access}} The wreck eventually broke into two, with the bow section drifting into the harbor, where it laid until scrapped in 1959.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/ss/emidio.html|title=Pacific Wrecks|last=PacificWrecks.com|access-date=2017-05-16}} The remainder of the hull is still in the harbor and is marked by a commemorative plaque. The site of the sinking of Emidio has been declared a California Historical Landmark #497.{{cite ohp|497|SS Emidio|2012-10-06}}{{cite book

| last =Webber

| first = Ebbert "Bert"

| author-link =Ebbert Webber

| title =Retaliation: Japanese Attacks and Allied Countermeasures on the Pacific Coast in World War II

| publisher =Oregon State University Press

| year =1975

| location =

| pages =

| url =

| doi =

| isbn = 0-87071-076-1 }}

Louis George Finch, able seaman aboard SS Emidio was given the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal by the president of the United States. This was for his extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety in voluntarily going into the sea to lighten an overload lifeboat. He stayed in water for one and half hours till another lifeboat came. For the president the award was given by Admiral Emory S. Land.{{Cite web |url=http://www.usmm.org/heroes.html |title=usmm.org Heroes |access-date=2020-04-14 |archive-date=2007-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321005000/http://www.usmm.org/heroes.html |url-status=dead }}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web | url=http://www.militarymuseum.org/Emedio.html| title=Del Norte | work=California Historical Landmarks | publisher=Office of Historic Preservation | accessdate=2005-08-29 }}
• {{cite web | url=http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21416 | title=The Attack on the SS Emidio | work=California and the Second World War | publisher=The California State Military Museum | accessdate=16 March 2012}}
• {{cite web | url=http://wikimapia.org/21106313/Wreck-of-SS-Emidio| title=Wreck of the SS Emidio | work=USA - California - Crescent City | publisher=Wikimapia | accessdate=16 March 2012}}

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{{December 1941 shipwrecks}}

{{Design 1047 Tank ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Emidio, SS}}

Category:1921 ships

Category:Tankers of the United States

Category:World War II tankers of the United States

Category:Ships of ExxonMobil

Category:Maritime incidents in December 1941

Category:Ships sunk by Japanese submarines

Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean

Category:Shipwrecks of the California coast

Category:Maritime history of California

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Category:California Historical Landmarks