USS Hugh L. Scott (AP-43)
Encyclopedia
USS Hugh L. Scott (AP-43) was a Hugh L. Scott-class transport. She was acquired by the United States Navy
for use in World War II
, and was assigned the task of transporting troops to and from battle areas. Operating in dangerous waters on 12 November 1942, she was sunk after being struck by a German
submarine
’s torpedo
at Fedala Bay, Morocco
.
Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland, then operated as SS President Pierce by Dollar Steamship Co., and later for the American President Lines
. She was named in honor of General
Hugh L. Scott
, who was Army Chief of Staff from 1914-1917.
Taken over by the United States Army
on 31 July 1941, she was renamed USAT Hugh L. Scott and made four voyages to the Far East
before sailing to the U.S. East Coast in July 1942.
The ship was taken over by the U.S. Navy on 14 August 1942, and converted to an attack transport at Tietjen and Lang (later Todd Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.), Hoboken, New Jersey
. She commissioned on 7 September 1942, Captain
Harold J. Wright commanding.
The transport was slated for participation in the North Africa
landings, the giant amphibious
assault mounted across the entire width of the Atlantic Ocean
. Hugh L. Scott joined Transport Division 3 (TransDiv
3) for this, our first offensive move in the Europe
an-Africa
n theater, and sailed on 24 October after intensive amphibious training. She approached the beaches at Fedhala, French Morocco
, early on the morning of 8 November and — after bombardment by surface ships — landed her troops. Hugh L. Scott then cleared the immediate invasion area, and did not return until 11 November, when she entered the refueling area and then anchored in the exposed Fedhala roadstead to unload her supplies.
delayed off-loading cargo and postponed departure from the Moroccan coast. On the evening of 11 November, German
submarine
slipped inside the protective screen to torpedo transport , tanker , and destroyer . Hugh L. Scott and the other transports went to battle stations the entire night, and resumed unloading the next day. That afternoon, 12 November, another submarine, commanded by Ernst Kals
, stalked the transports and torpedoed Hugh L. Scott, , and .
Hugh L. Scott, hit on the starboard side, burst into flames and foundered, but owing to the availability of landing craft
for rescue, casualties were held to a minimum of eight officers and 51 men. U-173 was later sunk by destroyers, but U-130 escaped.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
for use in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was assigned the task of transporting troops to and from battle areas. Operating in dangerous waters on 12 November 1942, she was sunk after being struck by a German
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
’s torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
at Fedala Bay, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
Acquisition history
Hugh L. Scott was built in 1921, as SS Hawkeye State, under a USSB contract, at Bethlehem ShipbuildingBethlehem Shipbuilding
Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard was founded in 1887 as Maryland Steel in Sparrows Point, Maryland. It was acquired by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in 1916 and renamed Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard. The shipyard was sold in 1997 to Baltimore Marine Industries Inc....
Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland, then operated as SS President Pierce by Dollar Steamship Co., and later for the American President Lines
American President Lines
American President Lines Ltd. is the world's seventh-largest container transportation and shipping company, providing services to more than 140 countries through a network combining intermodal freight transport operations with IT and e-commerce...
. She was named in honor of General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Hugh L. Scott
Hugh L. Scott
Hugh Lenox Scott was a post-Civil War West Point graduate who served as superintendent of West Point from 1906 to 1910, and Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1914 to 1917, including the first few months of American involvement in World War I.-Biography:Born September 22, 1853 in...
, who was Army Chief of Staff from 1914-1917.
Taken over by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
on 31 July 1941, she was renamed USAT Hugh L. Scott and made four voyages to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
before sailing to the U.S. East Coast in July 1942.
The ship was taken over by the U.S. Navy on 14 August 1942, and converted to an attack transport at Tietjen and Lang (later Todd Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.), Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
. She commissioned on 7 September 1942, Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Harold J. Wright commanding.
The transport was slated for participation in the North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
landings, the giant amphibious
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
assault mounted across the entire width of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Hugh L. Scott joined Transport Division 3 (TransDiv
TransDiv
TransDiv is the authorized abbreviation or acronym used by the U.S. Navy during World War II for "transport division."The commander of a transport division was known as ComTransDiv .- References :*...
3) for this, our first offensive move in the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an-Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n theater, and sailed on 24 October after intensive amphibious training. She approached the beaches at Fedhala, French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
, early on the morning of 8 November and — after bombardment by surface ships — landed her troops. Hugh L. Scott then cleared the immediate invasion area, and did not return until 11 November, when she entered the refueling area and then anchored in the exposed Fedhala roadstead to unload her supplies.
Torpedoed by a German submarine
The Naval Battle of CasablancaNaval Battle of Casablanca
The Naval Battle of Casablanca was a series of naval engagements fought between American ships covering the invasion of North Africa and Vichy French ships defending the neutrality of French Morocco in accordance with the Second Armistice at Compiègne during World War II...
delayed off-loading cargo and postponed departure from the Moroccan coast. On the evening of 11 November, German
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
slipped inside the protective screen to torpedo transport , tanker , and destroyer . Hugh L. Scott and the other transports went to battle stations the entire night, and resumed unloading the next day. That afternoon, 12 November, another submarine, commanded by Ernst Kals
Ernst Kals
Ernst Kals was a Kapitän zur See with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the Type IXC U-boat on five patrols, and sank twenty ships, for a total of 145,656 tons of Allied shipping, becoming the sixteenth highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II...
, stalked the transports and torpedoed Hugh L. Scott, , and .
Hugh L. Scott, hit on the starboard side, burst into flames and foundered, but owing to the availability of landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
for rescue, casualties were held to a minimum of eight officers and 51 men. U-173 was later sunk by destroyers, but U-130 escaped.