"all stop" was ordered and three motor whaleboats were lowered to search for casualties with an additional boat lowered at 18:00 with injured personnel. The ship began moving forward again on the port engine heading for the beach. The crew began heaving the powder from the #3 ready room overboard at 18:12 to prevent it from exploding too. "All engines stop" was called six minutes later, with the main deck under water by 18:20. At 18:23 Erie hit bottom, and "back full" was called as Erie beached itself off shore. With oil on the water around the ship on fire, the captain called for "all hands abandon ship" at 18:26. The explosion and fire had killed seven of the crew, including officers Lt. Ned James Wentz, Lt. George Kunkle and wounded 11 more. Erie was beached to prevent sinking, and burned for days. Biddle, Spry, and SC-533 searched the area around Erie. SC-533 "dropped destructive barrage" ahead of Erie as the ship headed east toward the beach. The PT boat also dropped depth charges and was seen to be fired upon by a merchantman. Three airplanes joined the search. PC-545 reported seeing a submarine and opened fire. PC-624, Van Kinsbergen and Queen Wilhelmina circled around to join the hunt about but were unable to get a fix on the contact. Spry followed Erie toward Curaçao, with Biddle attempting to come along Erie to help with fire fighting, but because of the explosions was unable to get close enough. It was later believed that the U-boat had escaped by going under the convoy to disguise its sound, and was able to flee the area. Fate A couple of weeks later, on 28 November, Erie was raised and towed to the inner harbor of Willemstad. On 5 December, during further preparations for salvage, Erie capsized at her moorings. The ship was left in place until 1952, when she was partially raised, towed out to sea, and sunk in deep water. Awards and decorations References Bibliography Further reading External links USSEriePG50.org - History and photos of the ship and crew Erie History and Report on Salvage Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Torpedoing and Honoring of the Fallen of the USS Erie Gunboats of the United States Navy Ships built in Brooklyn World War II shipwrecks in the Caribbean Sea 1936 ships Maritime incidents in 1939 Maritime incidents in November 1942 Erie-class