[Rockingham]

You seem to be referring to a particular sinking off the coast of Jacksonville. As recounted by the Florida Museum of History:

"The most dramatic sinking in Florida waters took place the night of April 10, 1942, when U-123 torpedoed the tanker Gulfamerica off Jacksonville Beach. The resulting fiery explosion was clearly seen onshore and curious crowds gathered to view the ship's destruction and looked on in shock as the German submarine surfaced and fired its deck gun at the tanker. In response to the Gulfamerica sinking, in which nineteen crew members were lost, Governor Spessard Holland ordered a blackout of lights that could be seen at sea and might silhouette passing ships."

[kearnyirish2]

Thanks; I didn’t realize it was at night. Imagine seeing that off the beach?

Here in NJ (before my time) we had the burned hull of the “Morro Castle” beached off Asbury Park; I’ve seen a framed newspaper front page from the next day - absolutely bizarre!