SS Melville E. Stone, World War II cargo vessel near Cristobal, Panama
The SS Melville E. Stone was a cargo ship built to transport military supplies during World War II. The vessel was equipped with oil-fired boilers and a steam engine that powered its journeys across the Atlantic Ocean.
The ship was built in 1943 in California and served as a supply vessel for wartime logistics in the Atlantic. It sank in 1943 after being struck by a German submarine.
The vessel received its name from Melville Elijah Stone, the founder of Chicago Daily News and an influential figure in American journalism.
The wreck lies off Panama's Pacific coast at a depth reachable by experienced divers. The area is most accessible during the dry season.
The ship sank within minutes after two torpedo strikes and now rests on the seafloor. Many structural details remain visible beneath the water.
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