May 16th, 1942 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Rescue tug HMS Griper launched.
GERMANY:
U-180 commissioned.
BALTIC SEA: U-600 collided with U-512 off Danzig (Baltic Sea). U-600 was damaged in this accident.
U.S.S.R.: Crimea: German forces have captured Kerch from the Russians.
AUSTRALIA: Minesweeper HMAS Bunbury launched.
U.S.A.: German U-boats continue their attacks on U.S. merchant vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. U-506 attacks three tankers off Louisiana; one is damaged but escapes to New Orleans, a second is torpedoed and shelled but does not sink; but the third is sunk. In the Caribbean, U-103 sinks the unarmed freighter SS Ruth Lykes. The U-boat crew rescues one sailor and transfers him to a lifeboat and the U-boat captain apologizes stating, "You can thank Mr. Roosevelt for this. I am sorry." The captain then gives the survivors cigarettes and bandages before departing.
Minesweeper USS Caravan laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Steam tankers Sun and William C. McTarnahan damaged by U-506 at 28N, 90W.
At 1900 on 14 May 1942, the Amapala sailed from New Orleans and anchored at Pilottown about 01.00 hours on 15 May. At 12.00 hours she left the anchorage and cleared Southwest Pass around 1330 hours. About 0005 on 16 May, U-507 was seen coming up fast on the starboard quarter, about four miles away. At the time the unescorted and unarmed Amapala was making 15 knots and was zigzagging. The master immediately ordered a change of the course to put the ship’s stern to the U-boat and send out an SOS and SSS four times in position 26°40N/88°17W. At 0012, U-507 began to attack the ship with shell and machine gun fire and soon hit the Amapala on the starboard side, destroying the lifeboat #3, wounding a fireman and throwing five men into the water. These men were picked up by the boat #4, which had been launched first, followed by two other boats. During this time, U-507 only fired with the Anti-Aircraft guns and continued shelling the vessel after the crew had abandoned ship. About three hours after the attack an aircraft appeared, sighted the U-boat and dropped depth charges, but without damaging U-507. It remained in the area for an hour and then left. The wounded fireman was placed in a lifeboat, but died at 0400 and was buried at sea. In the morning a USCG aircraft spotted the lifeboats and directed the fishing schooner Gonzalez out of Mobile to the boats. Shortly after 1600, another USCG aircraft landed on the water and brought two injured men to the Pensacola Naval Hospital. The remaining survivors were picked up by the Gonzalez and were landed at Burrwood Naval Base at 1500 on 17 May. The Amapala was still afloat when the survivors were picked up but her whole after deck was awash. She was taken in tow by the USCGC Boutwell but foundered in 26°30N/89°12W at midnight.
At 0415, the unescorted Nicarao was hit by one torpedo from U-751 north of San Salvador, Bahamas. The torpedo was spotted by the master about 20 feet from the ship and struck on the starboard side just forward of the #2 hold. The explosion ruptured the deck plates, tore a hole into the side and broke the back, causing her to sink by the bow within three minutes. The eight officers, 27 crewmen and four armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and two .30cal guns) tried to abandon ship in the two lifeboats, but both swamped and the survivors had to jump overboard and swim to three rafts, one officer and seven crewmen drowned. One of the boats was later righted and bailed out until the next morning. 31 survivors were picked up 21 hours later by the Esso Augusta and landed at Norfolk on 20 May. The master, Cecil Desmond, lost another ship to a U-boat when the William Eustis was torpedoed and sunk by U-435 17 Mar 1943 in Convoy HX-229.
Due to serious technical problems U-68 had to go to El Ferrol, Spain.
U-103 rendered medical aid to shipwrecked survivors of the sunken Ruth Lykes.