Operation Pedestal and the Tanker that refused to die the SS Ohio.

[NEON DEON]

Operation Pedestal was a planned relief by convoy of Malta during 1942.

The Ohio was a 9,263 ton tanker commandeered by the English along with The Kentucky because the English had no fast tankers. They were thrust into the Med with a big bullseye painted on em!

"August 13

• Passed through minefields between Africa and Sicily around midnight.
• 8 Italian torpedo boats make 15 attacks
  • Cruiser Manchester hit, sinks by evening
  • Santa Elisa (US) hit by torpedo, entire ship on fire and abandoned
  • Almeria Lykes (US) torpedoed, sinks immediately
  • British Wairangi and Glenorchy torpedoed, on fire. No survivors from Glenorchy
  • Rochester Castle torpedoed but keeps going. It is now 4 AM.
• Fighters from Malta fired on by convoy because communications out.
• 12 Junkers 88s attack.
  • Waimarana hit, aviation gas on deck bursts into fire, ship explodes and sinks, 80 of 107 crew killed.
  • Wreckage starts fires on Melbourne Star.
• 60 Stuka dive bombers attack, focus on Ohio. Near-miss buckles plates and forward tank fills with water.
• Junkers 88 crashes onto Ohio.
• Junkers 87 bounces off the water, crashes onto Ohio.
• Ohio avoids mines, torpedoes and circling torpedoes.
• 2 bombs straddle her, lift her out of the water. Boilers blown, she is dead in the water at 10:50 AM.
• Dorset disabled by 3 near misses, engine room flooded, high octane gas on fire, abandoned.
• 12 Italian torpedo bombers attack.
  • Port Chalmers catches torpedo in paravane (submerged floats meant to catch mines).
  • Bomb nearby sets Kenya's forward engine room on fire; fire put out.
• Fighters from Malta provide some air cover.
• Rochester Castle, Port Castle, Melbourne Star steam on to meet escort from Malta, reach Grand Harbour in Valetta at 6 PM.
• Junkers 88 attacks on Ohio. Ohio nearly split in two as bomb hits in same area as torpedo.
• Destroyer tries to tow Ohio, but Ohio wants to go sideways.
• Crew abandons ship.
• Italian torpedo bombers attack."

That was just one day on this action packed Cruise of the Med. Here is the rest of the trip.

http://www.usmm.org/malta.html

And this on the Ohio from Wiki.

http://www.usmm.org/malta.html