German Submarine Offensive Along Florida's Coasts

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German U-Boats attacked ships off Florida's coast during World War II.

Photo Credit: Homan & Reilly Designs

The sinking of Allied ships by German U-boats off the coast of Florida spurred the U.S. Navy to action.

At the outbreak of World War II, the Navy Department had just a handful of ships and planes to defend the entire eastern U.S. coast and Gulf of Mexico. This small force proved inadequate.  During the first seven months of the war, U-boats sank nearly 400 Allied ships, including nearly 40 off Florida's coast.

Perhaps the most dramatic sinking took place on April 10, 1942, when U-123 torpedoed the tanker Gulfamerica off Jacksonville Beach. The resulting fiery explosion was clearly seen onshore and curious crowds gathered to view the ship's destruction. In response to the sinking, Gov. Spessard Holland ordered a blackout of lights that could be seen at sea and which could silhouette Allied ships and make them easy targets. The Navy's failure to act quickly and decisively in 1942 led to some of the heaviest maritime shipping losses in American naval history. Eventually, Navy combat ships were employed to convoy duty, anti-submarine craft were built, and the Civil Air Patrol assisted as spotters.

Once these defensive measures were implemented, losses from U-boat attacks along the American coast declined dramatically in 1943 and virtually ended in 1944-1945.