Potrero del Llano
Encyclopedia
SS Potrero del Llano (Spanish: Paddock of the Plain) was an oil tanker
built in 1912. She sailed for a number of companies, and survived service in the First World War, only to be torpedoed and sunk by a German
U-boat
during the Second World War while sailing under the Mexican flag off the coast of Florida
. Her sinking contributed to Mexico's decision to enter the war on the side of the Allies.
Potrero del Llano was originally built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company
, Hebburn-on-Tyne as the F.A. Tamplin, for service with T.W. Tamplin & Co, of London
. She was sold in 1921 to the Belgian
company SA d'Armement, d'Industrie & de Commerce, of Antwerp, and was renamed Arminco, and was sold again in 1930 to the Italian
company Società Italiana Transporti Petroliferi (SITP), of Genoa
, and was renamed Lucífero. She was interned while docked at Tampico
, in Mexico on 10 June 1940 and was seized on 8 December 1941 by the Mexican government and renamed Potrero del Llano
after a region in Veracruz
. She was operated by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex
), and was homeported in Tampico.
Potrero del Llano was sailing unescorted from Tampico to New York
in May 1942, carrying 6,132 tons of petroleum. She was sighted by the German U-boat U-564, under Reinhard Suhren
at 07:17 hours on 14 May 1942, while east of the coast of Florida. Suhren noticed an illuminated flag painted on the side of the ship but misidentified it as the Italian flag
. Since only ships of the Mexican Navy
were permitted to display the Mexican flag
with the eagle in the centre, the flag shown by the Potrero del Llano resembled the Italian one, and having decided that the tanker's position and course meant that she could not be Italian, Suhren decided to sink her. U-564 duly torpedoed the Potrero del Llano, which sank with the loss of 13 of her crew. 22 survivors were picked up by and taken to Miami. One of the survivors, José Reyes Sosa, survived another attack on the Las Choapas, a tanker sunk by U-129 on 27 June 1942, and the fourth Mexican tanker sunk by German submarines.
On 20 May 1942 a second tanker, Faja de Oro
, was attacked and sunk, this time by U-106. The Mexican government was prompted to declare war on the Axis powers on 22 May 1942, and created the Escuadrón 201
.
Tank ship
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
built in 1912. She sailed for a number of companies, and survived service in the First World War, only to be torpedoed and sunk by a German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
during the Second World War while sailing under the Mexican flag off the coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Her sinking contributed to Mexico's decision to enter the war on the side of the Allies.
Potrero del Llano was originally built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company
Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company
Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited, often referred to simply as Palmers, was a British shipbuilding company. The Company was based in Jarrow, in Northeast England and also had operations in Hebburn and Willington Quay on the River Tyne....
, Hebburn-on-Tyne as the F.A. Tamplin, for service with T.W. Tamplin & Co, of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She was sold in 1921 to the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
company SA d'Armement, d'Industrie & de Commerce, of Antwerp, and was renamed Arminco, and was sold again in 1930 to the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
company Società Italiana Transporti Petroliferi (SITP), of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, and was renamed Lucífero. She was interned while docked at Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
, in Mexico on 10 June 1940 and was seized on 8 December 1941 by the Mexican government and renamed Potrero del Llano
after a region in Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
. She was operated by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex
Pemex
Petróleos Mexicanos or Pemex is a Mexican state-owned petroleum company. As of 2010, with a total asset worth of $415.75 billion, it is the second non-publicly listed largest company in the world by total market value, and Latin America's second largest enterprise by annual revenue as of 2009...
), and was homeported in Tampico.
Potrero del Llano was sailing unescorted from Tampico to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in May 1942, carrying 6,132 tons of petroleum. She was sighted by the German U-boat U-564, under Reinhard Suhren
Reinhard Suhren
Commander Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren was a German U-boat commander in World War II and younger brother of Korvettenkapitän and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient Gerd Suhren. Suhren began his U-boat career in March 1938...
at 07:17 hours on 14 May 1942, while east of the coast of Florida. Suhren noticed an illuminated flag painted on the side of the ship but misidentified it as the Italian flag
Flag of Italy
The flag of Italy is a tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical pales of green, white, and red, with the green at the hoist side...
. Since only ships of the Mexican Navy
Mexican Navy
The Mexican Navy is the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over...
were permitted to display the Mexican flag
Flag of Mexico
The flag of Mexico is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War...
with the eagle in the centre, the flag shown by the Potrero del Llano resembled the Italian one, and having decided that the tanker's position and course meant that she could not be Italian, Suhren decided to sink her. U-564 duly torpedoed the Potrero del Llano, which sank with the loss of 13 of her crew. 22 survivors were picked up by and taken to Miami. One of the survivors, José Reyes Sosa, survived another attack on the Las Choapas, a tanker sunk by U-129 on 27 June 1942, and the fourth Mexican tanker sunk by German submarines.
On 20 May 1942 a second tanker, Faja de Oro
Faja de Oro
SS Faja de Oro was an oil tanker built in 1914. She sailed for a number of companies, and survived service in the First World War, only to be torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat during the Second World War while sailing under the Mexican flag in the Gulf of Mexico...
, was attacked and sunk, this time by U-106. The Mexican government was prompted to declare war on the Axis powers on 22 May 1942, and created the Escuadrón 201
Escuadrón 201
El Escuadrón 201 was a Mexican fighter squadron, part of the Fuerza Aérea Expedicionaria Mexicana that aided the Allied war effort during World War II...
.