SS Managua (1919)

Managua was built as the Glorieta at the Albina Engine & Machinery Works Inc. shipyard in Portland, Oregon, United States in 1919. Where she was launched and completed that same year. The ship was 88.1 metres (289 ft 1 in) long, had a beam of 13.4 metres (44 ft 0 in) and had a depth of 5.9 metres (19 ft 4 in). She was assessed at 2,220 GRT and had 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine driving a screw propeller. The ship could reach a maximum speed of 12 knots and could generate 313 n.h.p.[2]

Managua departed Charleston, South Carolina on 13 June 1942 for Havana, Cuba with a cargo of Potash with a stopover at Jacksonville, Florida. At 04.01 am on 16 June, Managua was hit on the port side in #3 hold by a torpedo from the German submarine U-67 about 45 nautical miles (83 km) southwest of Sombrero Lighthouse in the Straits of Florida. The following explosion broke the back of Managua which caused her to list to her port side and sank by the stern in 11 minutes. All 25 crew members safely evacuated the ship in two lifeboats and two rafts but weren't able to send a distress signal.

U-67 then surfaced and approached one of the lifeboats. The u-boat crew ordered two men from the lifeboats to come aboard for questioning. They were asked about the name of their vessel, their last port of departure, their destination, their cargo and if there were English or Americans amongst the crew. Afterwards they were allowed to return to the lifeboats with their fellow crewmen. The first lifeboat reached Matanzas, Cuba on 17 June followed by the second lifeboat at Pigeon Key, Florida that same day.[1]

The wreck of Managua lies at (24°05′N 81°40′W).[2]