Gulflight

Career
Name:	Gulflight
Owner:	Gulf Refining Company
Builder:	New York SB. Co., Camden, N.J.
Launched:	8 August 1914
Out of service:	1937
Fate:	sold
Career
Name:	Nantucket Chief
Owner:	Nantucket Chief SS Co Inc
In service:	1937
Out of service:	1938
Fate:	sold
Career
Name:	Refast
Owner:	Harris & Dixon Ltd, London
In service:	1938
Out of service:	26 January 1942
Fate:	sank
General characteristics
Class and type:	petroleum tanker
Tonnage:	5189 tons
Crew:	38 / 42

The American 5,189 ton tanker Gulflight, built for Gulf Refining Company (a predecessor of Gulf Oil), was launched on 8 August 1914.

History

The Gulflight was built by New York SB. Co., Camden, N.J. Despite American neutrality at the time, the ship was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-30 on 1 May 1915. She beached on the Isles of Scilly and was later refloated and repaired. Of the 38 crew, there were three fatalities. She was the first American ship to be torpedoed during World War I. The German government apologized for the error, but refused to change its strategy of unrestricted submarine warfare.

The incident, along with the sinking of RMS Lusitania, caused the American government to increase spending on the US Navy.

In 1937 the vessel was sold to the Nantucket Chief SS Co Inc of Port Arthur, Texas and renamed the SS Nantucket Chief. In 1938 it was sold again, this time to Harris & Dixon Ltd, London and was renamed the SS Refast. On 26 January 1942 the Refast was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U-582 south of St Johns, Newfoundland.

See also

History of the United States Navy