SS Horace Gray

She was allocated to American Export Lines Inc., on 22 February 1943.^[4]

On 14 February 1945, at 15:10, while traveling in Convoy BK 3 to Murmansk from Molotovsk, she was struck by a torpedo, fired from U-968, off Kola Inlet. The torpedo struck her on the port side at the bulkhead between holds #4 and #5, blowing the hatch covers off and opening a hole on that side 20 by 60 feet (6.1 by 18.3 m) and a hole 30 by 30 feet (9.1 by 9.1 m) on her starboard side. She had been carrying 2,500 long tons (2,500 t) of potash. Horace Gray began taking on water and settling quickly by the stern. At 15:30, the order was given to abandon ship, as the water had reached the aft deck. The entire crew, consisting of eight officers, two radiomen, and thirty-one unlicensed sailors, in addition to the gun crew of one officer and 27 enlisted seamen, were able to leave the sinking ship on the four lifeboats the ship carried. Two Soviet escort ships were able to pick up the survivors. The master of the Horace Gray, along with some crewmen, were able to reboard her at 16:10. After raising some steam and with the assistance of a Soviet tug they were able to beach her in Tyuva Bay at 69°11′7″N 33°36′5″E / 69.18528°N 33.60139°E / 69.18528; 33.60139. She was declared a CTL two days later.^[5] In 1959, Horace Gray's bow was cut off and fitted to her sister ship SS Tbilisi, ex SS John Langdon, which had been torpedoed on 30 December 1944, by U-956, which resulted in her bow breaking off and sinking.^[4][6]

Torpedo attack location: 69°21′N 33°43′E / 69.350°N 33.717°E / 69.350; 33.717^[4]