Seventy five years ago today, the USCG Cutter Alexander Hamilton was the first United States Coast Guard ship to be be lost in World War II. The cutter was named after the first Secretary of the Treasury, often referred to as the “Father of the US Coast Guard.”
On January 29, 1942, the 327′ long Treasury-class United States Coast Guard Cutter Alexander Hamilton was patrolling the Icelandic coast near Reykjavík when she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-132. The torpedo struck on the starboard side between the fireroom and the engine room. Twenty sailors died in the initial explosion and six more subsequently died from burns. The ship’s wartime compliment was 221 officers and crew.
The cutter Alexander Hamilton capsized on January 30th and sank 28 miles (45 km) from the Icelandic coast. The wreck was discovered in 2009 in over 300 feet of water. In 2013, an expedition was mounted to place a memorial plaque in honor of the those who died on the ship. The video below describes diving on the wreck.