{"id":556446,"date":"2026-05-07T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/winklersart.com\/?p=556446"},"modified":"2026-05-07T11:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:30:00","slug":"divers-uncover-the-wreck-of-a-coast-guard-cutter-from-world-war-i-which-disappeared-with-131-crew-members-aboard-in-1918","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/winklersart.com\/?p=556446","title":{"rendered":"Divers Uncover the Wreck of a Coast Guard Cutter from World War I, Which Disappeared with 131 Crew Members Aboard in 1918"},"content":{"rendered":"

The remains of the \u201cTampa,\u201d which fell victim to a German submarine torpedo, were discovered 50 miles off the shores of Cornwall, England. This tragedy marked the greatest single American naval casualty during the war.<\/h2>\n
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\n \"Ellen\n <\/div>\n
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Ellen Wexler<\/p>\n

| Writer and Special Projects Editor<\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"Photo
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During World War I, the\u00a0Tampa\u00a0<\/em>secured convoys against submarine threats.
\n U.S. Coast Guard<\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Steve Mortimer moderated his expectations just before he submerged into the Atlantic Ocean. As he descended, the illumination from above dimmed, and the metrics on his depth gauge slid beyond 300 feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gets darker and darker,\u201d he recalls. \u201cEventually, from the darkness, the ocean floor comes into sight\u2014or, if you\u2019ve done it right, the wreck emerges.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mortimer, the head of the British technical diving team Gasperados, was on the lookout for the Tampa, a United States Coast Guard cutter that sank in 1918. A German U-boat torpedoed the vessel, leading to the death of all 131 individuals onboard\u2014the largest single American naval combat casualty of World War I. The Tampa<\/em>\u2019s burial site had been a secret for a long time.<\/p>\n

Cases like this are the forte of Gasperados. \u201cWe aim to unravel mysteries,\u201d Mortimer says. \u201cWe show up where we believe there\u2019s a compelling story waiting to be uncovered.\u201d For three years, the team collaborated with historians to scour the archives for hints. They ultimately pinpointed ten locations for exploration.<\/p>\n

The first nine dives yielded no success. Then, on April 26, the team executed the final dive approximately 50 miles off the Cornwall coast, England. When the divers reached the seabed, they encountered debris that closely resembled a warship.<\/p>\n

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\"The

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The helm of the\u00a0Tampa<\/em><\/p>\n

Gasperados Dive Team<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The six divers had only a brief window to document the wreck before they ascended back to the surface. Due to the necessity for the human body to acclimate to pressure variations, the ascent required over an hour, granting them ample time to contemplate their discovery.<\/p>\n

A video taken that day captured diver Dominic Robinson surfacing and stepping onto the boat. \u201cWell, Dom, you\u2019ve just emerged from 95 meters, two and a half hours,\u201d an off-screen voice inquires. \u201cWhat did you observe?\u201d<\/p>\n

As he unstraps his equipment, Robinson recounts every detail he can recall: Portholes. Ammunition. A \u201cmost pristine\u201d assortment of bridge instruments. An anchor that corresponded to historical images.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been mulling it over the entire way back up,\u201d he states. \u201cOn the balance of probabilities, I believe that is likely the Tampa<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

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USCG Tampa FOUND: America’s Deadliest Coast Guard Catastrophe<\/p>\n

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The story of the Tampa<\/em><\/h2>\n

The Coast Guard\u2019s origins date back to 1790 when George Washington enacted legislation permitting the building of ten ships to enforce commercial regulations. However, the current name was established in 1915 when the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the Life-Saving Service. Two years afterward, when the U.S. entered World War I, six Coast Guard cutters were deployed overseas to safeguard convoys against submarine attacks. All except the Tampa <\/em> returned safely.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe service has suffered losses of numerous ships and personnel throughout its 235-year saga,\u201d notes William Thiesen, the Coast Guard\u2019s Atlantic area historian. \u201cThis was among the most significant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over eleven months, the 190-foot-long vessel directed 18 convoys from Gibraltar to Great Britain. Its logs indicate \u201chigh morale, despite rather arduous duties,\u201d the Coast Guard mentions on its website. Records also reveal that the crew promptly assisted sailors from other ships; in one instance, two stewards faced reprimand for being overly helpful by lending another vessel an ice cream freezer.<\/p>\n

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\"The

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The\u00a0Tampa\u00a0<\/em>was a\u00a0190-foot-long Coast Guard cutter.<\/p>\n

U.S. Coast Guard<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On September 26, 1918, the Tampa<\/em> was running low on coal. Its captain, Charles Satterlee, sought authorization to exit the convoy and refuel around noon. As sailing alone in daylight was perilous during wartime, this request was initially denied. A second request received approval at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n

Hours later, the Tampa<\/em> navigated north through the pitch-black night. The crew had extinguished all lights to evade detection. Despite these precautions, a German U-boat commander identified the vessel in the Bristol Channel. A few miles away, a radio operator reported feeling an underwater blast. The Tampa<\/em> never made it to its intended destination.<\/p>\n

Everyone aboard the vessel\u2014111 U.S. Coast Guardsmen, 4 U.S. Navy personnel, and 16 British Navy personnel and civilians\u2014perished in the assault. \u201cPieces of wreckage, one of the Tampa<\/em>\u2019s lifebuoys and the bodies of two unidentified officers in uniform were discovered,\u201d the Associated Press reported at the time. A third body was found later, but the remaining ones were never retrieved.<\/p>\n

The quest for the Tampa<\/em><\/h2>\n

As the Gasperados divers readied for their tenth endeavor to locate the lost cutter last month, they were uncertain of what to anticipate. \u201cThis was the last remaining site within the foreseeable area that could genuinely be the Tampa<\/em>,\u201d Robinson reminisces in the video. \u201cBut initially, I viewed this more as a routine task than anything else.\u201d Once he entered the water, he discovered that his GoPro camera was malfunctioning. Not foreseeing significant results, he hadn\u2019t inspected it prior.<\/p>\n

The divers are all volunteers, primarily hailing from southwest England. They have uncovered various other missing shipwrecks from World War I over the years and had long been aware of the Tampa<\/em>. In 2023, they made the decision to commence their search for it.<\/p>\n

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Quick facts: The wreck of HMS Hawke<\/i><\/p>\n

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  • In 2024, Gasperados divers assisted in identifying HMS Hawke, a British warship struck by a German torpedo during World War I.<\/li>\n
  • When the ship sank on October 15, 1914, there were 594 sailors on board, with only 70 surviving.\u00a0<\/li>\n
  • The wreck was located off the coast of Scotland, more than 350 feet deep in the North Sea.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Historian Michael Lowrey, a specialist in German U-boats from World War I, assisted the divers in tracking down historical records. The group also reached out to historians within the Coast Guard, who provided insights on the Tampa<\/em>\u2019s distinctive characteristics, which would later aid in confirming the wreck’s identity.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe forwarded almost everything we possessed,\u201d Thiesen states. \u201cImages, blueprint designs\u2014any kind of construction or design information that could help them cross-reference with the artifacts they discover on the ocean floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

    This knowledge was vital considering the limited time the divers had to probe the seabed. Mortimer estimates he spent merely 14 minutes at the location. However, even with these limitations, the team uncovered an abundance of intriguing evidence. They observed artillery shells spread across the ocean floor that appeared consistent with the guns of the vessel. One diver discerned the words \u201cTrenton, New Jersey,\u201d inscribed on the back of a plate. The team also recognized an anchor, fire extinguishers, and portholes that aligned with the historical records.<\/p>\n

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    \"Plates

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    Plates from the Tampa<\/em><\/p>\n

    Gasperados Dive Team<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    \u201cTampa<\/em> was a relatively small vessel, yet she boasted an abundance of portholes,\u201d Mortimer explains. \u201cNow, much of the hull has deteriorated, but since portholes are typically constructed of brass, many of them remain intact. Numerous portholes were scattered about.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The divers also discovered a water-tube boiler\u2014the same kind fitted on the Tampa<\/em>. \u201cThat indicates almost conclusively, I believe, it was a warship,\u201d asserts Barbara Mortimer, a researcher for Gasperados and Steve Mortimer\u2019s spouse. In contrast, commercial vessels generally employed fire-tube boilers, which are \u201cmore cost-effective, but they take longer to heat up the steam, limiting acceleration,\u201d Barbara clarifies.<\/p>\n

    The divers intend to revisit the wreck site soon to search for additional evidence. Thiesen mentions that once the vessel’s identity is verified, the location will be treated as a war grave.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe observed at least two fire extinguishers on the wreck, and one of our divers believes he saw Tampa<\/em> inscribed on it,\u201d Mortimer states. \u201cWe hope to take images of that, which certainly would provide definitive proof.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    \"Gasperados

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    The\u00a0Gasperados Dive Team following the discovery<\/p>\n

    Gasperados Dive Team<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The legacy of the Tampa<\/em><\/h2>\n

    One week after the tragedy, the Coast Guard dispatched telegrams to the victims’ families, many of whom were in their late teens and early 20s. The youngest was 15-year-old Irving Alexander Slicklen. Due to his height, he managed to enlist after school one day. When Slicklen\u2019s great-grandmother learned of his action, she rushed to the recruiting office in her slippers, but her efforts were in vain. He died after serving just six months.<\/p>\n

    Joseph Lieb, 18, had anticipated returning home shortly, and his family was already making plans for a celebration when they received the unfortunate news. The father of Edward F. Shanahan Jr., 21, had sent his son a letter wishing him good luck on his new enlistment; according to the Washington Post, it was returned unopened with \u201cMan Lost\u201d stamped on the front.<\/p>\n

    The disaster brought about significant sorrow for the Coast Guard, which had less than 4,000 personnel at the outset of World War I. In contrast, the U.S. Navy boasted over 50,000. Consequently, the agency faced a higher casualty rate than any other branch of the American military throughout the conflict.<\/p>\n

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    \"Fire

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    A fire extinguisher from the\u00a0Tampa<\/em><\/p>\n

    Gasperados Dive Team<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    \u201cThe loss of the Tampa<\/em> with all hands in 1918 left a lasting sorrow within our organization,\u201d Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, remarks. \u201cFinding the wreck links us to their sacrifice.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Although the Purple Heart was not in circulation at the time of the disaster, the Coast Guard honored the crew of the Tampa<\/em> with it in 1999. For many years, efforts have been made to reach the families of the men to bestow this honor upon them.<\/p>\n

    Following the announcement of the discovery, numerous families of the victims contacted the divers. Some were aware that their relatives had perished on a vessel named the Tampa<\/em>, but they had always questioned the location of its wreck. After all this time, they were grateful to finally learn the answer.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe\u2019re truly delighted with the outcome. It validates all our dedication and effort,\u201d Mortimer states. \u201cWe\u2019ve devoted three years of our lives attempting to locate this ship because it matters to us\u2014and we understand it holds significance for others.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Although shipwreck exploration is a pastime for the Gasperados divers, they perceive their work as a crucial form of citizen science, as well as a homage to the victims. \u201cTheir final resting places must be recognized, and their narratives deserve to be shared,\u201d Mortimer states. \u201cThat\u2019s our motivation.\u201d<\/p>\n