USS Erie

On 12 November 1942 the Allied convoy TAG-20 arrives at the south coast of Curaçao from Trinidad. Ten escort vessels protect the joining and leaving ships, but the German submarine U-163 still manages to infiltrate the defences. The gunboat USS Erie (PG-50) is escort commander.

The commanding officer of U-163, Korvettenkapitän Kurt-Eduard Engelmann, fires three torpedoes at the USS Erie at 16.33 hrs local time, close to Willemstad harbour. Lookouts on the ship see the torpedoes approach and the Erie takes evading action, but one torpedo hits her in the starboard aft section.

The damage is enormeous, a second explosion follows as the ships tanks with airplane fuel blow up and a raging fire starts. In the initial attack 6 crew members are killed, several others are wounded.