WWII mystery turns 82: Torpedo-struck ship and its crew vanished off NC coast in 1942

On May 2, 1942, a German U-boat sank the ex-USS Cythera off North Carolina, then plucked two crewmen out of the oceanPhoto byUS Navy image

The 82nd anniversary of one of World War II’s strangest sagas — the sinking of the USS Cythera off North Carolina — passed unnoticed in 2024, largely because the mystery remains unresolved.

On May 2, 1942, a German U-boat sank the Cythera, then plucked two crewmen out of the Atlantic and took them to a POW camp in Prussia. Their fate is not the mystery, however. It’s what became of the ship and 69 other sailors that puzzles historians.

The Cythera has never been found and its crew — except for two survivors who were taken by the Germans to a prisoner-of-war camp — remains missing. It’s possible some of the sailors’ bodies may still be in the shipwreck.

For that reason alone, the Navy’s Underwater Archaeology Branch would like to see the ship located.

The Challenges of Finding Cythera

• Unknown Location: The first challenge in finding the Cythera is figuring out where to start looking. The ship went down approximately 115 miles east of Cape Fear, North Carolina.
• Depth of the Wreck: The ship may be in waters 11,000 feet deep, making it difficult to locate and explore.
• Advancements in Technology: Remote-sensing and ocean mapping technology have advanced, increasing the probability of locating the Cythera as more shipwrecks are discovered.

Why the Cythera is Important

• Historical Significance: Built in 1906, the Cythera served in both World War I and World War II, a rare distinction among U.S. Naval vessels.
• Unique Capture: It represents the only known instance of Americans being taken by Germans from the East Coast for imprisonment in Germany during WWII.
• Quick Demise: The ship’s active service in WWII lasted just 24 hours before it was attacked by the German submarine U-402.

The Known Survivors

• James M. Brown and Charles H. Carter: These two crew members survived the sinking after being thrown off the ship. They were rescued by the German U-boat and taken to a POW camp.
• Eyewitness Account: Brown recalled seeing at least two men “going over the side” just before he went overboard. The survivors tried hiding, but the moonlight revealed their position to the U-boat crew.

Finding the USS Cythera would be a significant historical discovery, shedding light on a long-standing mystery and providing closure to the families of the lost sailors.