Hugh Hunt

Merchant Mariner Hugh Hunt was killed in action when the S.S. Heredia, was sunk in a submarine attack off the coast of Louisiana on May 19, 1942.  He was 54 years old.

Hugh Hunt was born on April 16, 1888 in Henderson, North Carolina, the son of James Hunt and Cora Lewis Hunt.  Prior to his service as a Merchant Marine, he had been employed as a cook for the Central Hotel in Henderson and for the Seaboard Railroad.  He was married to Roda Cannady Hunt.

The U.S. had been at war with Germany less than six months and had already lost over 150 merchant ships. German submarines, known as U-boats, had been patrolling the east coast of the United States for months and had recently moved into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean in search of oil-laden tankers. U-506, commanded by Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant Commander) Erich Wurdemann, had already sunk three ships and badly damaged two others while patrolling near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Although the SS Heredia was a freight/cargo ship rather than a tanker, she became a victim of U-506 in the early morning hours of May 19, 1942.

On the eve of the attack, Heredia was returning to New Orleans from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala with a cargo of bananas and coffee. Sailing alone, without lights and under radio silence, six men had been placed in select positions as lookouts.

In the first hours of May 19th, after stealthily maneuvering ahead of the Heredia, U-506 quietly waited on the surface of the water, knowing it wouldn’t be seen in the dark. As soon as the ship was close enough to ensure a direct hit, the first torpedo was fired. It slammed into the port side, at #3 and #4 holds. A second torpedo hit in the same place and a third torpedo struck amidship on the starboard side. The initial hit caused a huge explosion, instantly killing five of the Armed Guards and the Radio Operator. The decks of the ship blew upward, tossing the sixth Armed Guard overboard, and two of the four lifeboats were destroyed. Heredia shuddered and began to sink. Her engines were stopped and the survivors abandoned ship on two life rafts. According to some reports, Heredia was burning as she sank stern-first. Thirty Merchant Mariners, including Hugh Hunt, five U.S. Navy Armed Guards, and one passenger were lost.

Last edited: 30 May 2026