MV S.E. Graham explained

MV S.E. Graham was an oil tanker that was built in 1943 and operated by the Graham Company until her loss in 1958.[1] She was 250feet in length[1] and measured 1,591 gross tons.[2]

On the morning of August 7, 1958, S.E. Graham was inbound to Providence, Rhode Island at the mouth of the Narragansett Bay near Rose Island with a load of 650000gal of gasoline when she collided in heavy fog with SS Gulfoil, which was outbound in ballast when she rammed S.E. Graham on her port bow.[1] [3] [2] The collision triggered a fire that engulfed both ships until they drifted apart and grounded separately.[2] On SS Gulfoil, 18 of the crew were burned; 17 bodies were recovered, while one was listed as missing - while all of S.E. Graham's crew survived.[4] Survivors were retrieved by the Coast Guard cutter Laurel and various Coast Guard and Navy small craft.[2]

S.E. Graham burned for most of the day, and was declared a total loss,[2] while Gulfoil was salvaged and eventually rebuilt for service on the Great Lakes.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: August 8, 1958 . 15 Die as Tankers Collide in Fog . . 1 . Associated Press.
  2. Web site: March 20, 1959 . Commandant's Action on Marine Board of Investigation; collision of the bulk vessels Gulfoil and S.E. Graham, off Bull Point East Passage, Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, 7 August 1958, with loss of life . March 11, 2017 . .
  3. Book: Quinn, William . Shipwrecks Around New England . The Lower Cape Publishing Company . 1979 . 0-936972-05-X . Orleans, MA . 168; 169 . 234275652.
  4. Book: The Mysterious North Shore: A Collection of Short Stories About Ghosts, UFOs, Shipwrecks and More . Mayo, William and Barthel, Kate . 2007. 9781591933311 .