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World War II Database

23 Dec 1941

United States
  • Japanese submarine I-21 attacked the 12,000-ton tanker SS Montebello off San Simeon, California. Hours earlier, Montebello had left Port San Luis, California with a load of gasoline bound for Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I-21 fired two torpedoes at the tanker. One failed to explode but the other hit home and did its job. Montebello’s No. 2 hold was ruptured and her captain, Olof Eckstrom, gave the order to abandon ship. All 38 men aboard made it into lifeboats as Commander Matsumura shelled the stricken ship. During the shelling, according to Captain Eckstrom, the lifeboats came under small arms fire from the submarine, probably rifle fire. Montebello sank about an hour after being torpedoed. All 38 crewmen survived. Later that same day, the 10,000-ton tanker SS Idaho came through the same waters. About 9 miles west of the Montebello attack, I21’s gun crew shelled Idaho with minimal damage before the tanker sailed on. ww2dbase [Japanese Attacks on the Continental United States | Point Piedras Blancas, California | CPC]



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Aerial view of the Marinship Shipbuilding yard, Sausalito, California, United States, 6 Dec 1944. Note the six tankers under construction on the ways and six others being fitted out at the piers. Photo 4 of 5.

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