US Coast Guard Mengens (USS Menges DE-320) escort ship in dry dock at military shipyard No. 95 in New York with the stern cut off.
The USS Menges DE-320 was damaged by an acoustic torpedo from a German U-371 submarine on the night of May 2, 1944 in the Mediterranean. The torpedo hit the stern of the ship, but it remained afloat and did not sink. 31 American sailors died, 25 were injured.
The USS Holder DE-401 was heavily damaged by torpedoes of German aircraft in the Mediterranean on April 11, 1944. 17 American sailors were killed, 12 were injured. Because of the damage was found not recoverable.
The USS Menges DE-320 was towed to the Algerian port of Bougie, where it unloaded the wounded and killed sailors. After that, the USS Menges DE-320 moved to Oran, where minor damage was repaired and the damaged rear third of the hull was completely cut off and the ship was prepared for towing across the Atlantic Ocean. After that – through the Azores – the ship was towed to New York as part of one of the sea convoys.
The USS Menges DE-320 was repaired in an original and unique way for that time – a third of the stern of the USS Holder DE-401 was cut off in dry dock and rearranged to USS Menges DE-320.
The USS Menges DE-320 was completely repaired and returned to the US Navy on September 14, 1944. Launched from the US Navy Sosawa and sold in 1946. Cut into scrap in 1972.
The USS Holder DE-401 was withdrawn from the US Navy on September 23, 1944; the rest of the hull was sold for cutting into metal in 1947.
Location: New York, USA
Photo date: 1944