V.A. Fogg was a jumboized T2-SE-A1 vessel was built in Jan.1944 hull no. 268
by Alabama Drydock & Shipbuilding Company of Mobile, Alabama.
It was built as SS Four Lakes and renamed V.A. Fogg in 1971. Wikipedia
SS Four Lakes was 523 ft six inches long overall, with a beam of 68 feet.
She had a turbo-electric propulsion system delivered 6,000 shaft horsepower.
Her top rated speed wA about 15 knots with a cruising range of about 12,600 miles.
The T2-SE-A1 had 9 sets of tanks. Tanks 2 through 9 had a main center tank carrying 391,500 gallons,
and two side tanks (one port, one starboard) carrying about 165,000 gallons each.
Tank number one consisted of only two side by side tanks,
As SS Four Lakes she sailed around the world.
Bottom Scene at Freeport Liberty Ship Reef
V.A. Fogg sank in the Gulf of Mexico on 1 February 1972 with Loss of Life. U. S. COAST GUARD - Report 13 SEP 1974 Abstract
: At 1240 on February 1, 1972, the tankship V.A. FOGG departed
Freeport, Texas, en route to the Gulf of Mexico to clean cargo tanks
that carried benzene residue. The vessel was due to arrive in
Galveston, Texas, at 0200 on February 2. At approximately 1545,
February 1, the V.A. FOGG suffered multiple explosions and sank. All 39
persons aboard died as a result of this casualty. This report contains
the action taken by the National Transportation Safety Board in
determining the probable cause of the casualty and in making
recommendations to prevent its recurrence. The report also contains the
Marine Board of Investigation report and the action taken by the
Commandant, U. S. Coast Guard. The National Transportation Safety Board
determines that the probable cause of the initial and subsequent
explosions was the ignition of benzene vapors which were present both
within the open cargo tanks on the main deck of the tankship. The
investigative record in this case does not contain sufficient
information to determine the ignition source of the initial explosion.
The probable source of ignition of the subsequent explosions was the
heat produced from the preceding explosions.
On
a reef she soon had company with several Victory Ships. The reef is now
know as "Freeport Liberty Ship Reef."
The
reef water depth is 100-102 feet, and the depth to
the deck of the ship wrecks is approximately 70-80 feet.
One diver says "This wreck is incredible. For starters, it's big and the wreck is in a few pieces. Its cause of sinking was a huge explosion in the ship. Large schools of fish abound and hammerhead sharks are also seen. Visibility can vary and there are some stinging corals so consider wearing a wetsuit. |
 BOUNDARY
LIMITS OF ARTIFICIAL REEF
28° 36' 00.011" N; 94° 48' 55.861" W; 28° 35' 59.076" N; 94° 48' 26.262" W |
The T2's were the work horses of the USMM during WW II and in the decades immediately after.
Several served as power stations in Vietnam. Many sailors made their entire careers working them.
View the Last T-2 Tanker
