Detected in the South Atlantic by the light cruiser USS Omaha and the destroyer USS Jouett, the German blockade runner Burgenland burst into flames on 5 January 1944

U.S. Navy Official photograph, Gift of Charles Ives, from the Collection of The National World War II Museum
Description: 

430.Photograph. 'File No: OOR-44854 February 22, 1944 Nazi blockade runner goes under waves-- Detected in the South Atlantic early in January by the light cruiser USS Omaha and the destroyer USS Jouett, the German blockade runner Burgenland suddenly burst into flames as members of her crew set off demolition charges. Third of three blockade runners trapped and sunk by U. S. naval forces within 48 hours, the Burgenland was approached by the two Navy warships during which time this photo was taken its crew removed, and the scuttled ship sunk by gunfire. Like its sister ships, the Rio Grande and the Esserland, the Burgenland was loaded with fats, rubber, tin and oils vital to Germany. Some rubber was recovered after the ships went down.' 22 February 1944

Image Information

Donor: 
Charles Ives
Accession Number: 
2011.102.430
Date: 
Location: 
Hometown: 
Branch: 
US Navy
Theater of Service: 
European Theater of Operations (ETO)
Unit: 
USS Omaha (CL-4)
USS Jouett (DD-396)
Campaign / Event: 
POW / KIA: 
Topical Subjects: 
Cargo ships--German
Collection Level: 
The Charles Ives Collection consists of 719 photographs from the Pacific Theater of WWII. Many of the photographs were taken between 1944 and 1945. Mr. Ives inherited the photographs from a friend from Marblehead, Massachusetts who served as an aviator in the Army Air Corps and discharged as a Major in 1945.
Thesaurus for Graphic Materials: 
Cargo ships--German