USS Cyclops (AC-4)

The USS "Cyclops" (AC-4) was one of four "Proteus"-class colliers built for the United States Navy during World War I. Named for the Cyclopes, a primordial race of giants from Greek mythology, she was the second U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. The loss of the ship and 306 crew and passengers without a trace sometime after March 4 1918 remains the single largest loss of life in U.S. Naval history not directly involving combat. The ship's fate is still a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. No wreckage of the vessel has ever been found.

History

"Cyclops" was launched 7 May, 1910, by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and placed in service 7 November 1910, with Lieutenant Commander George Worley, Master, Naval Auxiliary Service, in charge. Operating with the Naval Auxiliary Service, Atlantic Fleet, she voyaged in the Baltic from May to July 1911 to supply Second Division ships. Returning to Norfolk, Virginia, she operated on the east coast from Newport, Rhode Island, to the Caribbean, servicing the fleet. During the troubled conditions in Mexico in 1914 and 1915, she coaled ships on patrol there and received the thanks of the U.S. State Department for cooperation in bringing refugees from Tampico to New Orleans, Louisiana.

With American entry into World War I, "Cyclops" was commissioned 1 May 1917, and her skipper, George W. Worley, promoted to Lieutenant Commander. She joined a convoy for Saint-Nazaire, France, in June 1917, returning to the U.S. in July. Except for a voyage to Halifax, Nova Scotia, she served along the east coast until 9 January 1918, when she was assigned to Naval Overseas Transportation Service. She then sailed to Brazilian waters to fuel British ships in the south Atlantic, receiving the thanks of the State Department and CINCPAC. [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/c/cyclops-1.htm USS "Cyclops"] ] [ [http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/%7Ecacunithistories/hr_mallory.htm USS Henry R. Mallory ] ]

She put to sea from Rio de Janeiro 16 February 1918. On 20 February, "Cyclops" entered Bahia. Two days later, she departed for Baltimore, Maryland, with no stops scheduled. She made an unscheduled stop in Barbados on 3 March and 4 March, where Worley called on the United States consul, Brockholst Livingston, and took on additional supplies. "Cyclops" then set out for Baltimore, and was never seen or heard from again. [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/cyclops.htm USN Ships-USS CYCLOPS (1910-1918) ] ]

A complete list of the crew and passengers lost in the incident are available from the Department of the Navy-Naval Historical Center.

Bermuda Triangle connection

The loss of USS "Cyclops" with all 306 crew and passengers, without a trace, is one of the sea's unsolved mysteries, and is often "credited" to the Bermuda Triangle. It was the earliest documented incident linked to the Bermuda Triangle involving the disappearance of a U.S. vessel. [ [http://www.bermudacruises.net/bermuda-information/myths_folklore.htm Bermuda Cruises - Myths and Folklore of Bermuda ] ] In his 1975 book "The Bermuda Triangle Mystery Solved", author Lawrence Kusche investigated this mystery. He revealed that a diver off Norfolk, Virginia, in 1968, reported finding the wreck of an old ship in about 300 feet of water, stating that the bridge "appeared to be on stilts." He was later shown a picture of the "Cyclops" (which had that peculiar bridge structure) and was convinced it was the ship he had seen. This would have put the "Cyclops", according to Kusche, within 60 miles of the Virginia Capes and into the teeth of a storm that hit the area on March 9-10, 1918 (this storm was reported to have done extensive damage between Indiana and Washington, D.C.). The storm, combined with the unusual cargo of manganese, may have sunk her. However, further expeditions to the reported wreck site failed to find anything. [http://www.numa.net/expeditions/cyclops.html]

Most who link the disappearance to the Bermuda Triangle cite the fact that the vessel disappeared having sent out no distress signal. However, ship-board communications were in their infant stages in 1918, and it would not be unusual for a vessel, sinking fast, to have little or no opportunity at a distress call. [ [http://byerly.org/BTcyclops_death_list.htm The CYCLOPS death list ] ] As to date, no trace of the wreckage has been found.

Most serious investigators of the incident believe the ship was likely farther to the north of the Bermuda Triangle when it disappeared, but there is little evidence to either substantiate or dispute that. [http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0005330.html] An in depth look at the incident can be found in the book, "Great Naval Disasters", by authors Kit and Carolyn Bonner. [ [http://www.destroyers.org/ShipsStore/SS-Pages/SS-Publications.htm Tin Can Sailors - The National Association of Destroyer Veterans ] ]

In fiction

* "Cyclops", and her unscheduled stop in Barbados, figure prominently in the 1986 book "Cyclops" by Clive Cussler. In the story, "Cyclops" is swamped by a rogue wave off the Cuban coast.
* In "Quantum Leap" "Cyclops" is featured in the episode titled "Ghost Ship".
* In "Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy!" "Cyclops" is featured after the gang travels through the Bermuda Triangle.
* "Cyclops" has appeared on Sci-Fi's "The Triangle".
* The Bermuda Triangle display at Orlando's SeaWorld featured a model of the "Cyclops".
* In The Ship "Cyclops" is one of Mr. X's ships, proposing that his "game" is the reason it went missing.

ee also

* Bermuda Triangle source page and Bermuda Triangle
* Unexplained disappearances
* SS Cotopaxi

Newspaper references

*"Cold High Winds Do $25,000 Damage'" "Washington Post", March 11, 1918.
*"Collier Overdue A Month", "New York Times", April 15, 1918.
*"More Ships Hunt For Missing Cyclops", "New York Times", April 16, 1918.
*"Haven't Given Up Hope For Cyclops", "New York Times", April 17, 1918.
*"Collier Cyclops Is Lost; 293 Persons On Board; Enemy Blow Suspected", "Washington Post", April 15, 1918.
*"U.S. Consul Gottschalk Coming To Enter The War", "Washington Post", April 15, 1918.
*"Cyclops Skipper Teuton, 'Tis Said", "Washington Post", April 16, 1918.
*"Fate Of Ship Baffles", "Washington Post", April 16, 1918.
*"Steamer Met Gale On Cyclops' Course", "Washington Post", April 19, 1918.

References

*DANFS
*
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* [http://www.numa.net/expeditions/cyclops.html NUMA site and Clive Cussler's brief report on the "Cyclops".]

External links

* [http://www.bermuda-triangle.org/html/u_s_s__cyclops.html The Disappearance of the U.S.S. "Cyclops"]