SS Benwood SS Benwood The "Benwood" is a shipwreck off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. The Norwegian merchant freighter "Benwood" (360'x51') was under the command of Captain Torbjørn Skjelbred on the night of April 9, 1942. She was on a routine voyage from Tampa Bay, Florida to Norfolk, Virginia carrying a load of phosphate rock. That same evening, the "Robert C. Tuttle"(544'x70') was traveling to Atreco, Texas, under the command of Captain Martin Johansen. Rumors of German U-boats in the area forced the two ships to travel completely blacked out, each keeping the Florida coastal lights three miles abeam("Benwood")and one and
SS Benwood the collision, Captain Skjelbred made last-minute efforts to avoid the "Robert C. Tuttle" by ordering the engine full astern (fastest reverse). Moments later,the bow of the "Benwood" punched into the "Robert C. Tuttle" just aft of the port side bow, above the waterline. This caused the bow of the "Benwood" to collapse upon itself. The Benwood began taking on water at a brisk rate. Captain Skjelbred turned hard for shore, attempting to save the ship by grounding, but some time between 1:10 and 2:00 a.m. was forced to abandon ship. The "Benwood" came to rest stern-to on a sandy slope