US Navy WORLD WAR II
Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Lowell H. Huber MIA/KIA
Hometown: North Dakota
Official Date of death: 05-Apr-44
Service # 3283869
Awards: Purple Heart
Captain: Lt. Cdr. Harry Lynnwood Hicks MIA/KIA
Mission: Q-ship armed merchant ship with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks.
Ship: American Q-ship USS Atik AK 101
Loss Date: 27-Mar-42
Cargo: Pulpwood as floating cargo
Location: 35.38N, 70.14W - Grid CA 9578 300 miles east of Norfolk
Fate: Sunk by U-123 (Reinhard Hardegen)
Complement: 141 (141 dead - no survivors)
Notes on event
At 02.37 hours on 27 Mar, 1942, USS Atik (AK 101) was hit on the port side ahead of the bridge by one G7e torpedo from U-123 about 300 miles east of Norfolk. The ship caught fire where it was hit and settled by the bow with a list to port. When Hardegen observed how the crew abandoned ship on starboard he went closer to finish off the vessel. Waiting for this moment, USS Atik dropped her concealment and opened fire from all weapons including depth charge projectors. The U-boat immediately ran off at utmost speed and was only hit at the bridge by .50cal fire which fatally wounded Fähnrich zur See Rudi Holzer. U-123 dived when out of range and approached the Q-ship which did not sink due her floating cargo. At 04.29 hours, a coup de grâce was fired into the engine room and the ship settled by the bow until the screw was out of the water. The U-boat observed how the crew abandoned ship again and waited nearby for the vessel to sink. At 05.50 hours, USS Atik was gone after several heavy detonations, probably the fire had ignited the ammunition aboard and the depth charges went off when the ship sank. About 08.00 hours, the Germans buried Holzer at sea in position 35°38'N/70°14'W.
After receiving her distress signals USS Noa (DD 343), USS Sagamore (AT 20), her sistership USS Asterion (AK 100) (LtCdr Legwen, USN) and several aircraft conducted a fruitless search for survivors the next few days, the only signs found were debris and five empty rafts sighted by aircraft at 34°52N/69°58W on 30 March. All hands were lost, either in the explosion when the ship sank or during a gale that hit the area shortly afterwards.
Visit the virtual cemetery of USS Atik Crew
Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Lowell H. Huber MIA/KIA
Hometown: North Dakota
Official Date of death: 05-Apr-44
Service # 3283869
Awards: Purple Heart
Captain: Lt. Cdr. Harry Lynnwood Hicks MIA/KIA
Mission: Q-ship armed merchant ship with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks.
Ship: American Q-ship USS Atik AK 101
Loss Date: 27-Mar-42
Cargo: Pulpwood as floating cargo
Location: 35.38N, 70.14W - Grid CA 9578 300 miles east of Norfolk
Fate: Sunk by U-123 (Reinhard Hardegen)
Complement: 141 (141 dead - no survivors)
Notes on event
At 02.37 hours on 27 Mar, 1942, USS Atik (AK 101) was hit on the port side ahead of the bridge by one G7e torpedo from U-123 about 300 miles east of Norfolk. The ship caught fire where it was hit and settled by the bow with a list to port. When Hardegen observed how the crew abandoned ship on starboard he went closer to finish off the vessel. Waiting for this moment, USS Atik dropped her concealment and opened fire from all weapons including depth charge projectors. The U-boat immediately ran off at utmost speed and was only hit at the bridge by .50cal fire which fatally wounded Fähnrich zur See Rudi Holzer. U-123 dived when out of range and approached the Q-ship which did not sink due her floating cargo. At 04.29 hours, a coup de grâce was fired into the engine room and the ship settled by the bow until the screw was out of the water. The U-boat observed how the crew abandoned ship again and waited nearby for the vessel to sink. At 05.50 hours, USS Atik was gone after several heavy detonations, probably the fire had ignited the ammunition aboard and the depth charges went off when the ship sank. About 08.00 hours, the Germans buried Holzer at sea in position 35°38'N/70°14'W.
After receiving her distress signals USS Noa (DD 343), USS Sagamore (AT 20), her sistership USS Asterion (AK 100) (LtCdr Legwen, USN) and several aircraft conducted a fruitless search for survivors the next few days, the only signs found were debris and five empty rafts sighted by aircraft at 34°52N/69°58W on 30 March. All hands were lost, either in the explosion when the ship sank or during a gale that hit the area shortly afterwards.
Visit the virtual cemetery of USS Atik Crew
US Navy WORLD WAR II
Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Lowell H. Huber MIA/KIA
Hometown: North Dakota
Official Date of death: 05-Apr-44
Service # 3283869
Awards: Purple Heart
Captain: Lt. Cdr. Harry Lynnwood Hicks MIA/KIA
Mission: Q-ship armed merchant ship with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks.
Ship: American Q-ship USS Atik AK 101
Loss Date: 27-Mar-42
Cargo: Pulpwood as floating cargo
Location: 35.38N, 70.14W - Grid CA 9578 300 miles east of Norfolk
Fate: Sunk by U-123 (Reinhard Hardegen)
Complement: 141 (141 dead - no survivors)
Notes on event
At 02.37 hours on 27 Mar, 1942, USS Atik (AK 101) was hit on the port side ahead of the bridge by one G7e torpedo from U-123 about 300 miles east of Norfolk. The ship caught fire where it was hit and settled by the bow with a list to port. When Hardegen observed how the crew abandoned ship on starboard he went closer to finish off the vessel. Waiting for this moment, USS Atik dropped her concealment and opened fire from all weapons including depth charge projectors. The U-boat immediately ran off at utmost speed and was only hit at the bridge by .50cal fire which fatally wounded Fähnrich zur See Rudi Holzer. U-123 dived when out of range and approached the Q-ship which did not sink due her floating cargo. At 04.29 hours, a coup de grâce was fired into the engine room and the ship settled by the bow until the screw was out of the water. The U-boat observed how the crew abandoned ship again and waited nearby for the vessel to sink. At 05.50 hours, USS Atik was gone after several heavy detonations, probably the fire had ignited the ammunition aboard and the depth charges went off when the ship sank. About 08.00 hours, the Germans buried Holzer at sea in position 35°38'N/70°14'W.
After receiving her distress signals USS Noa (DD 343), USS Sagamore (AT 20), her sistership USS Asterion (AK 100) (LtCdr Legwen, USN) and several aircraft conducted a fruitless search for survivors the next few days, the only signs found were debris and five empty rafts sighted by aircraft at 34°52N/69°58W on 30 March. All hands were lost, either in the explosion when the ship sank or during a gale that hit the area shortly afterwards.
Visit the virtual cemetery of USS Atik Crew
Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Lowell H. Huber MIA/KIA
Hometown: North Dakota
Official Date of death: 05-Apr-44
Service # 3283869
Awards: Purple Heart
Captain: Lt. Cdr. Harry Lynnwood Hicks MIA/KIA
Mission: Q-ship armed merchant ship with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks.
Ship: American Q-ship USS Atik AK 101
Loss Date: 27-Mar-42
Cargo: Pulpwood as floating cargo
Location: 35.38N, 70.14W - Grid CA 9578 300 miles east of Norfolk
Fate: Sunk by U-123 (Reinhard Hardegen)
Complement: 141 (141 dead - no survivors)
Notes on event
At 02.37 hours on 27 Mar, 1942, USS Atik (AK 101) was hit on the port side ahead of the bridge by one G7e torpedo from U-123 about 300 miles east of Norfolk. The ship caught fire where it was hit and settled by the bow with a list to port. When Hardegen observed how the crew abandoned ship on starboard he went closer to finish off the vessel. Waiting for this moment, USS Atik dropped her concealment and opened fire from all weapons including depth charge projectors. The U-boat immediately ran off at utmost speed and was only hit at the bridge by .50cal fire which fatally wounded Fähnrich zur See Rudi Holzer. U-123 dived when out of range and approached the Q-ship which did not sink due her floating cargo. At 04.29 hours, a coup de grâce was fired into the engine room and the ship settled by the bow until the screw was out of the water. The U-boat observed how the crew abandoned ship again and waited nearby for the vessel to sink. At 05.50 hours, USS Atik was gone after several heavy detonations, probably the fire had ignited the ammunition aboard and the depth charges went off when the ship sank. About 08.00 hours, the Germans buried Holzer at sea in position 35°38'N/70°14'W.
After receiving her distress signals USS Noa (DD 343), USS Sagamore (AT 20), her sistership USS Asterion (AK 100) (LtCdr Legwen, USN) and several aircraft conducted a fruitless search for survivors the next few days, the only signs found were debris and five empty rafts sighted by aircraft at 34°52N/69°58W on 30 March. All hands were lost, either in the explosion when the ship sank or during a gale that hit the area shortly afterwards.
Visit the virtual cemetery of USS Atik Crew
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
