Credit River - SS Oliver Ellsworth Traditional Cache
Hidden : 7/16/2013
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
4.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


Credit River - Shipwreck Series

SS Oliver Ellsworth
 September 13, 1942



There are many shipwrecks around the world. Some very famous and others not so. Each however has it’s own story to tell. As you travel along the Credit River doing this series of caches, we have highlighted a number of these shipwrecks. During low water levels on these parts of the Credit River, you need to be careful in a canoe or kayak so as you don’t wind up in your own shipwreck. Besides the many large rocks along the way, there are also some other obstacles such as dams which should be avoided. All of the geocaches in this series have been placed by tubing, inflatable boat or on foot by walking in the water along the Credit River. Whichever way you choose to search for these caches, use caution and common sense.
More information about this series can be found here: Credit River - Shipwreck Series

SS Oliver Ellsworth


Career and Sinking:
Completed in June 1942, the Oliver Ellsworth was just three months old when she was assigned to Convoy PQ-18, one of the Arctic convoys delivering supplies to the Soviet Union. She carried 7,200 tons of ammunition and aircraft as deck cargo. She was commanded by her Master, Otto Ernest Buford.

The convoy was shadowed by German forces and soon came under attack by the Luftwaffe and U-boats. At 09.52 hours on 13 September, U-408 sighted the convoy about 100 miles southwest of Spitsbergen and fired a spread of three torpedoes. One hit the Soviet SS Stalingrad. The other two torpedoes missed the stricken Soviet merchant, but one of them hit the Oliver Ellsworth which had had to steer hard left to avoid the torpedoed ship.

The Oliver Ellsworth was hit on her starboard side between the #4 and #5 holds. The engines were stopped and the crew of eight officers, 34 crewmen and 28 armed guards abandoned ship in four lifeboats within 15 minutes after the hit, because they feared an explosion of their cargo. But the Oliver Ellsworth continued moving, causing both starboard boats to swamp and one of the port boats struck a raft and sank. All of the survivors were picked up within an hour by the British rescue ship Copeland and the A/S trawler HMS St. Kenan, and were later landed at Archangel. After the rescue action, St. Kenan fired upon the still floating wreck of the Oliver Ellsworth, which sank stern first at 10.30 hours. Out of a complement of 70, all had been rescued except for one armed guard who drowned.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Uhat va gur oenapurf bire gur jngre

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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