This is a report dated August 5, 1942 from W. T. Smith in the Philadelphia office of the District Intelligence Officer to the Commandant, Fourth Naval District and it is an interview with Joshua C. Carey, a survivor of SS ONEIDA.

1. CAREY, Joshua C., resident of Dover, Delaware, reported to this office on July 28, 1942 and stated that he was a survivor from the,V/S ONEIDA, which was sunk on July 13, 1942 off Cuba. The S/,V ONEIDA was a vessel of 2,309 gross tons and 1,440 net tons. It was owned by the Ford Motor Company and operated by the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company.

NOTE - This is at odds with other statements as to who operated the ship.

2. Subject stated that the Captain and First Mate of the SS ONEIDA were interviewed at Guantanimo Bay, Cuba, but that no one had talked with him. Subject produced a survivor card issued by the TENTH Naval District, Zone #2, and stated that he had been directed to come to this office for an interview.

3. In as much as subject is, to date, the sole survivor from the SS ONEIDA to be interviewed by this office, it is felt that there was not sufficient information available to justify a report on Form MNI-142.

4. Subject was interviewed by Lieutenant jg E. M. RHEA, USNR, and volunteered the following information:

(a) Subject's name is Joshua C. CAREY, of Dover, Delaware. He is 38 years of age, married and had two children.

(b) He served as First Assistant Engineer aboard the SS ONEIDA which was owned by the Ford Motor Company and operated by Lykes Brothers Steamship Company. This vessel's gross tonnage was about 3,000 and its net tonnage was about 2,300. The Master's name is F. W. Deal. The ship was not armed.

(c) The SS ONEIDA had the following itinerary: She loaded rice at Lake Charles, Louisiana, in early June and cleared for San Juan, Puerto Rico. She arrived at her destination on approximately July 4, 1942 and discharged her cargo. She cleared San Juan on about July 7, 1942 and proceeded without cargo or ballast towards Moor's Bay, Cuba.

(d) About 1210 or 1215 E.W.T. on July 13, 1942, while the SS ONEIDA was proceeding northwest at a speed of about 91/2 or 10 knots, about five miles north of Cape Maysi, Cuba, she was struck by a torpedo just aft of the engine room, on the starboard side. The weather was clear, with good visibility, a calm sea and a slight breeze. Three minutes after the torpedo struck the ship sank by the stem.

(e) The Captain saw the wake of the torpedo, but not soon enough to permit any avoiding action. The torpedo explosion destroyed the ship's four life boats but the life rafts were successfully cleared. Sixteen members of the crew reached one life raft safely and seven more succeeded in getting aboard the second life raft. The six other men who made up the balance of the ship's crew of 29 are missing and are presumed dead.

(f) The attacking submarine which surfaced near the life rafts was about 150 feet long and mounted a 5" gun forward and a smaller gun aft. It was light grey color and the paint appeared fresh. An officer with binoculars was visible in the conning tower, but could not be seen clearly. A sailor appeared on deck dressed in white shorts, a jumper, a blue neckerchief and a sailor hat. He appeared to be of medium stature and had a light complexion. While on deck he used a boat hook to pick up a life preserver. The submarine remained on the surface for about fifteen minutes, during which time its Diesel motors could be clearly heard. It then headed north and submerged.

(g) About thirty minutes after the ship sank, a Navy patrol plane appeared. It circled the survivors and dropped a message giving directions to Cape Maysi, which was visible about three miles away. After rowing and drifting for four or five hours, the survivors reached shore. They walked to the Cape Maysi Light, which was about five miles from their landing place, and then made arrangements for a boat to take them to Baracca.

More U-166

U-166 Profile and History
Official US Coast Guard Reports of the Action: Introduction
US Coast Guard Report: July 31, 1942
US Coast Guard Report: August 1, 1942
Report: July 24, 1942 Sinking of the SS Oneida
Report: August 5, 1942 Sinking of the SS Oneida
Report: Summary of Statements from M/S Gertrude Survivors
Report: August 13, 1942 Sinking of the SS Robert E. Lee