DOB/DOD: January 10, 1904 (Greenwich, CT) – May 26, 1942; 38 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: Greenwich
SERVICE NUMBER: Z-232107
FAMILY: Born to Wortley H. (1860-1929) and Emma A. McTarry Peck (1861-). Four brothers, Charles D. (1886-1953), Stanley L. (1890-1976), Lester V. (1893-1943), Wortley E. (1896-1935), Harold K. (1903-1972), and Ralph H. (1908-1960). One sister, Mildred R. Peck Hendry (1897-1926).
CIRCUMSTANCES: About 1100 hours on May 26, 1942, the unescorted and unarmed Carrabulle (Master Norris T. Ela) was stopped by U-106 in the Gulf of Mexico by a signal from a siren and a shot across her bow. The U-boat began firing shells at the bridge and the superstructure on the starboard side, while the radio operator was still sending distress signals. The crew of eight officers and 32 men, with the exception of the radio operator, left the ship in two lifeboats. One boat held 24 men, including the master and the first mate. At the moment this boat reached the water, a torpedo struck just below the waterline on the port side and blew the boat to pieces. Only two men survived, who were later picked up by the other lifeboat together with the radio operator. Some survivors later claimed that Rasch asked if all the men had gotten clear of the ship. Receiving a negative answer, he reportedly laughed and fired the torpedo at 1134 hours. The tanker sank stern first at 1230 hours. Three officers and 15 men were picked up by the American steam merchant Thompson Lykes 15 hours after the attack and were taken to New Orleans, Louisiana. [From uboat.net]
The fate of U-106
Sunk on August 2, 1943, in the North Atlantic north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 46.35N, 11.55W, by depth charges from a British and an Australian Sunderland aircraft (228 Sqn RAF/N & 461 Sqn RAAF/M). 22 dead and 36 survivors. [From uboat.net]