Overview

During World War II German U-boats wreaked havoc on merchant shipping along the American Coast. The Gulf of Mexico contains one of the greatest concentrations of Allied vessels lost to German U-boats worldwide. These casualties include oil tankers, cargo vessels, passenger ships, and fishing boats. The significant role played by these vessels and their crews during an important period in American and World history, paired with their presence on the seafloor for over 50 years makes them eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, a Presidential Proclamation signed January 19, 2001, states that "the United States will use its authority to protect and preserve sunken state craft of the United States and other nations, whether they are located in the waters of the United States, a foreign nation, or in international waters" (Bush 2001). Since many of these vessels carried U.S. Navy gun crews and were chartered by the United States government to transport oil and fuel for the war effort, many are likely to be considered "state craft."