Halo
Steam Tanker · United States · Lost 1942 · The Gulf of Mexico
A crude oil tanker blown in two by U-506 torpedoes in 1942, with only three of forty-two crew surviving the flames.
James A. Junkin
See Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
Built in 1920, the tanker Halo was torpedoed twice by U-506 on May 20, 1942, while carrying crude oil from Galveston toward New Orleans. The explosions broke the ship in two and ignited her cargo; she sank within three minutes. Only three of forty-two crew survived. The wreck was found in 2000 during an oil industry pipeline survey and later studied during a 2004 archaeological reef-effect project.
Vessel
- 1920
- Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp
- Alameda, California
- Steel
- 436 ft
- 56 ft
- 6986
- Steam, single screw
- Cities Service Oil Co, New York
Loss
- May 20, 1942
- Enemy action
- About 50 miles from the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River
- Gulf of Mexico
- Tampico, Mexico (via Galveston, Texas) → New Orleans, Louisiana
- About 64,000 barrels of crude oil
- 42
- 39
- Ulrich Fred Moller
The Wreck Today
- 450 ft
- Broken hull resting in deep water in the Grand Isle lease area.
- Not established
- 2000
- Not established
Position
- 28.70° N 90.13° W
- Approximate position
- Grand Isle, Louisiana
Position from uboat.net attack record (28°42'N, 90°08'W).
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)
Build data, attack narrative, casualties.
Discovery history, rescue details, archaeological study.
