U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No. B 107766
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Baltimore, Maryland
Built in 1920, the Steel Age was an American steam powered cargo ship owned by Isthmian SS Company of New York.
As 1942 dawned, the Steel Age was at Calcutta, India, contemplating the next leg of its return trip to the U.S. On board was Russell Newton Aiken who had signed on as Radio Operator. He was 37 years old.
On January 18, the ship left Calcutta, bound for Cape Town, South Africa. A month later, on February 15th, the Steel Age was again ready to sail. With a cargo of manganese ore, the ship steamed out of Table Bay, unarmed and alone, without armament or escort. Her next port was to be Trinidad.
On March 7th, about 130 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana (Suriname), the Steel Age was traveling at 11 knots when it was attacked by German submarine U-129. The sub fired two torpedoes, both hitting the starboard side of the lone ship. One hit amidships and the other hit between the #4 and #5 hatches, causing immediate flooding which, along with the nature of the cargo, caused the ship to sink within two minutes. There wasn’t time for an ‘abandon ship’ to be issued and most of the crew never even left the ship. The only survivor was a Spanish crewman (an AS) who was coming off watch or was in the messroom when the first torpedo struck. He was either tossed overboard by the force of the hit or he jumped overboard where he was picked up by U-129 within 20 minutes. He said he didn’t see any other survivors.
Out of a complement of 35, only one crewman survived.
Epilogue: After the survivor was picked up, his injuries were treated by a doctor. He was held on the sub for a month, until April 6th when they arrived at Lorient, France. He was then transferred to a prison camp in Germany where he remained until liberated by the British on April 29, 1945.
Note: According to some sources, the attack took place in the early morning hours (3:20 am) while others claim it was at night (10:05 pm).
Service No. B 107766
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Baltimore, Maryland
Built in 1920, the Steel Age was an American steam powered cargo ship owned by Isthmian SS Company of New York.
As 1942 dawned, the Steel Age was at Calcutta, India, contemplating the next leg of its return trip to the U.S. On board was Russell Newton Aiken who had signed on as Radio Operator. He was 37 years old.
On January 18, the ship left Calcutta, bound for Cape Town, South Africa. A month later, on February 15th, the Steel Age was again ready to sail. With a cargo of manganese ore, the ship steamed out of Table Bay, unarmed and alone, without armament or escort. Her next port was to be Trinidad.
On March 7th, about 130 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana (Suriname), the Steel Age was traveling at 11 knots when it was attacked by German submarine U-129. The sub fired two torpedoes, both hitting the starboard side of the lone ship. One hit amidships and the other hit between the #4 and #5 hatches, causing immediate flooding which, along with the nature of the cargo, caused the ship to sink within two minutes. There wasn’t time for an ‘abandon ship’ to be issued and most of the crew never even left the ship. The only survivor was a Spanish crewman (an AS) who was coming off watch or was in the messroom when the first torpedo struck. He was either tossed overboard by the force of the hit or he jumped overboard where he was picked up by U-129 within 20 minutes. He said he didn’t see any other survivors.
Out of a complement of 35, only one crewman survived.
Epilogue: After the survivor was picked up, his injuries were treated by a doctor. He was held on the sub for a month, until April 6th when they arrived at Lorient, France. He was then transferred to a prison camp in Germany where he remained until liberated by the British on April 29, 1945.
Note: According to some sources, the attack took place in the early morning hours (3:20 am) while others claim it was at night (10:05 pm).
U.S. Merchant Marine
Service No. B 107766
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Baltimore, Maryland
Built in 1920, the Steel Age was an American steam powered cargo ship owned by Isthmian SS Company of New York.
As 1942 dawned, the Steel Age was at Calcutta, India, contemplating the next leg of its return trip to the U.S. On board was Russell Newton Aiken who had signed on as Radio Operator. He was 37 years old.
On January 18, the ship left Calcutta, bound for Cape Town, South Africa. A month later, on February 15th, the Steel Age was again ready to sail. With a cargo of manganese ore, the ship steamed out of Table Bay, unarmed and alone, without armament or escort. Her next port was to be Trinidad.
On March 7th, about 130 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana (Suriname), the Steel Age was traveling at 11 knots when it was attacked by German submarine U-129. The sub fired two torpedoes, both hitting the starboard side of the lone ship. One hit amidships and the other hit between the #4 and #5 hatches, causing immediate flooding which, along with the nature of the cargo, caused the ship to sink within two minutes. There wasn’t time for an ‘abandon ship’ to be issued and most of the crew never even left the ship. The only survivor was a Spanish crewman (an AS) who was coming off watch or was in the messroom when the first torpedo struck. He was either tossed overboard by the force of the hit or he jumped overboard where he was picked up by U-129 within 20 minutes. He said he didn’t see any other survivors.
Out of a complement of 35, only one crewman survived.
Epilogue: After the survivor was picked up, his injuries were treated by a doctor. He was held on the sub for a month, until April 6th when they arrived at Lorient, France. He was then transferred to a prison camp in Germany where he remained until liberated by the British on April 29, 1945.
Note: According to some sources, the attack took place in the early morning hours (3:20 am) while others claim it was at night (10:05 pm).
Service No. B 107766
Award: Mariner's Medal
Address of Record: Baltimore, Maryland
Built in 1920, the Steel Age was an American steam powered cargo ship owned by Isthmian SS Company of New York.
As 1942 dawned, the Steel Age was at Calcutta, India, contemplating the next leg of its return trip to the U.S. On board was Russell Newton Aiken who had signed on as Radio Operator. He was 37 years old.
On January 18, the ship left Calcutta, bound for Cape Town, South Africa. A month later, on February 15th, the Steel Age was again ready to sail. With a cargo of manganese ore, the ship steamed out of Table Bay, unarmed and alone, without armament or escort. Her next port was to be Trinidad.
On March 7th, about 130 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana (Suriname), the Steel Age was traveling at 11 knots when it was attacked by German submarine U-129. The sub fired two torpedoes, both hitting the starboard side of the lone ship. One hit amidships and the other hit between the #4 and #5 hatches, causing immediate flooding which, along with the nature of the cargo, caused the ship to sink within two minutes. There wasn’t time for an ‘abandon ship’ to be issued and most of the crew never even left the ship. The only survivor was a Spanish crewman (an AS) who was coming off watch or was in the messroom when the first torpedo struck. He was either tossed overboard by the force of the hit or he jumped overboard where he was picked up by U-129 within 20 minutes. He said he didn’t see any other survivors.
Out of a complement of 35, only one crewman survived.
Epilogue: After the survivor was picked up, his injuries were treated by a doctor. He was held on the sub for a month, until April 6th when they arrived at Lorient, France. He was then transferred to a prison camp in Germany where he remained until liberated by the British on April 29, 1945.
Note: According to some sources, the attack took place in the early morning hours (3:20 am) while others claim it was at night (10:05 pm).
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