# List of shipwrecks in 1938

The list of shipwrecks in 1938 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1938.
table of contents :
| ← 1937 1938 1939 → ||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr |
| May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
| Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Unknown date ||||
| References ||||

## January
### 1 January

List of shipwrecks: 1 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Skottland | Norway | The cargo ship was wrecked 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Cape Mayor, near Santander, Spain. She sank on 3 January, all crew were rescued. |
| Sylvabelle | France | The two-masted schooner collided with Ilse ( Sweden) in the English Channel off St Ives, Cornwall, United Kingdom. All five crew were rescued by Cape Horn ( United Kingdom) and Ilse. |

### 2 January

List of shipwrecks: 2 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Guaruja | France | Grounded at Punta Polacra, Almeria, Spain and was abandoned by her crew but her chief engineer was lost. She broke in two on 7 January. |

### 3 January

List of shipwrecks: 3 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Luise Leonhardt | Germany | Foundered at Melilla. |

### 4 January

List of shipwrecks: 4 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cuore Di Gesu | United Kingdom | The brig ran aground at Palermo, Sicily, Italy. |
| Tenshodo Maru | Japan | The coaster ran aground at Shōdoshima. |

### 6 January

List of shipwrecks: 6 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Irene | Sweden | The auxiliary ship ran aground on a voyage from Ystad to Öland and was a total loss. |

### 11 January

List of shipwrecks: 11 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Hannah | Netherlands | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) south east of Cape San Antonio, Spain. All crew were rescued. |

### 13 January

List of shipwrecks: 13 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Laganbank | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground in the Haddummatti Atoll, Maldive Islands and was abandoned as a total loss. All crew were rescued by Tweedbank ( United Kingdom). |
| Ringwall | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Irvine, Ayrshire and was severely damaged. She was scuttled on 15 January. She was refloated on 19 January. |

### 14 January

List of shipwrecks: 14 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lyngenfjord | Norway | Sank off Cape St. Francis, South Africa. |

### 15 January

List of shipwrecks: 15 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Canelos | Chile | The passenger ship ran aground at Coquimbo and was abandoned as a total loss. All on board were rescued. |
| Corsea | United Kingdom | The collier collided with Ruahine ( United Kingdom) in the River Thames and was beached at Woolwich. She was refloated on 17 January. |
| Elpiniki | Greece | The cargo ship ran aground at Chania, Crete. Salvage operations were abandoned on 26 January. |
| Fermanagh | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on the Pembrokeshire coast and sank with the loss of one of the nine people on board. |

### 17 January

List of shipwrecks: 17 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Glanrhyd | United Kingdom | The cargo ship foundered in the Irish Sea between Lundy Island and Cardigan Bay with the loss of all seventeen crew. She was on a voyage from Newport, Monmouthshire, to Manchester, Lancashire. |
| Lochshira | United Kingdom | The coaster foundered in the North Sea off the coast of Ayrshire with the loss of all five crew. |

### 18 January

List of shipwrecks: 18 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Olga L | Italy | The sailing ship collided with Excalibur ( United States) at Naples and sank. All crew were rescued. |
| Le Trait | France | The cargo ship ran aground at Royan, Charente-Maritime. She was refloated on 1 February. |
| Waubic | United Kingdom | The ship caught fire at Chicago, Illinois, United States and was a constructive total loss. |

### 19 January

List of shipwrecks: 19 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Yei Maru | Japan | The motor launch (14 GRT) was sunk in a collision with Daiboshi Maru No. 6 ( Japan) in dense fog off Osaka. |

### 20 January

List of shipwrecks: 20 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Drague | France | The dredger capsized at Le Havre, Seine-Inférieure. |
| Santoy | United Kingdom | The Thames barge collided with Damsterdijk ( Netherlands) in the Thames Estuary and sank with the loss of both crew. |

### 21 January

List of shipwrecks: 21 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Endymion | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The coaster was torpedoed and sunk by the Nationalist submarine General Sanjurjo ( Spanish Navy) south of Cape Tiñoso with the loss of eleven of her fifteen crew. |
| Liberty | United States | The tug was run down and sunk at Hog Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by an unknown vessel. Two crew were rescued. |

### 24 January

List of shipwrecks: 24 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Tokoju Maru | Japan | The cargo ship was run into by Keifuku Maru ( Japan) at Shimonoseki and sank. All crew were rescued. |

### 25 January

List of shipwrecks: 25 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Richard Borchart | Germany | The collier departed from Hamburg on a voyage to Nordenham, Germany. Two lifebuoys were discovered on Heligoland, Schleswig-Holstein on 4 February. Believed foundered in the North Sea with the loss of all nineteen crew. |

### 28 January

List of shipwrecks: 28 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Newsome | Norway | The cargo ship ran aground at Courtown Cays (12°30′N 81°30′W﻿ / ﻿12.500°N 81.500°W﻿ / 12.500; -81.500) and was abandoned by her crew, who were rescued by Veragua ( United States). |
| Rumore | United Kingdom | The coaster departed Waterford, Ireland on 27 January bound for Barry, Glamorgan. She passed Passage West, County Cork the next day. No further trace. |

### 30 January

List of shipwrecks: 30 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USS SC-433 | United States Navy | The SC-1-class submarine chaser foundered in Lake Ontario. |

### 31 January

List of shipwrecks: 31 January 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alba | Panama | Ran aground at Porthmeor beach, St Ives, Cornwall. All 24 crew rescued, but five later drowned when the lifeboat, Caroline Parsons ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution), capsized. |
| Ella | Finland | The auxiliary three-masted schooner ran aground on Spiekeroog, Germany and was a total loss. All crew were rescued. |

## February
### 1 February

List of shipwrecks: 1 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sauer Gebr | Germany | The coal grab capsized and sank at Hamburg with the loss of two crew. |

### 3 February

List of shipwrecks: 3 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Garda | Italy | The vessel sank in stormy weather 1.5 nmi (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) off Cape Raznjic, Korčula island, Adriatic Sea |
| Gypsum Prince | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Balboa, Spain and was beached. She was refloated the next day. |

### 4 February

List of shipwrecks: 4 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alcira | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 22 nautical miles (41 km) off Barcelona, Spain by Spanish Nationalist aircraft. All 21 crew survived. |
| San Marco | United States | The 30-gross register ton, 49.8-foot (15.2 m) motor vessel broke her moorings, dragged her anchor, and was wrecked without loss of life on a reef across from Seldovia, Territory of Alaska, during a gale. |

### 7 February

List of shipwrecks: 7 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Itanage | Brazil | The cargo ship ran aground in Rio Grande do Sul. She was refloated on 24 February. |

### 8 February

List of shipwrecks: 8 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ekaterini Peppa | Greece | The cargo ship collided with Pluto ( Netherlands) in the Baltic Sea off the Adlergrund Lightship ( Germany) and sank. All crew were rescued. Pluto was beached at Tromper Wiek. She was later refloated and towed to Sassnitz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. |

### 10 February

List of shipwrecks: 10 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aksu | Turkey | The cargo ship ran aground in the Black Sea off Sinope and was beached. She was refloated on 15 February. |
| Baoulé | France | The cargo ship ran aground on Juist, Germany. All crew were saved. Refloated on 4 March. |
| Lucky | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk at Valencia. Refloated, repaired and put back in service as Castillo Benisano. |

### 11 February

List of shipwrecks: 11 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Gianicolo | Italy | The cargo ship issued a distress call in the Mediterranean Sea (41°28′N 5°50′E﻿ / ﻿41.467°N 5.833°E﻿ / 41.467; 5.833). Presumed foundered with the loss of all 35 crew. |

### 12 February

List of shipwrecks: 12 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| HMS Walrus | Royal Navy | The destroyer was out of commission and under tow to a shipyard for conversion work with a skeleton crew of four aboard in the North Sea when a powerful storm struck which broke her towline and drove her ashore in Filey Bay near Scarborough, England. All four men aboard survived. Declared constructive total loss, sold 5 March 1938 for scrapping, refloated 29 March 1938, and scrapped October 1938. |

### 13 February

List of shipwrecks: 13 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mitsu Maru No.3 | Japan | The cargo ship departed from Mizumata bound for Kobe. No further trace. Reported on 18 February as presumed foundered. |

### 14 February

List of shipwrecks: 14 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| King Edgar | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on Spurn Head, Yorkshire. |
| Tartary | United Kingdom | The coastal tanker ran aground on Haisboro Sands, Norfolk. Although refloated, she later drifted onto the Barber Sands, broke her back and exploded. All eight people on board were rescued by the Gorleston lifeboat. |

### 17 February

List of shipwrecks: 17 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Panaghia | Greece | The cargo ship ran aground at Klippen Point, South Africa and was abandoned by her crew, who were rescued by Clan Macneil ( United Kingdom). |

### 19 February

List of shipwrecks: 19 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| H A Walker | United Kingdom | The cargo ship was abandoned in pack ice off Cape St. Francis, Newfoundland. She subsequently caught fire and sank. |
| USS Swallow | United States Navy | The Lapwing-class minesweeper ran aground on Kanaga Island in the Andreanof Islands group in the western Aleutian Islands while entering Kanaga Harbor (51°42′30″N 177°11′30″W﻿ / ﻿51.70833°N 177.19167°W﻿ / 51.70833; -177.19167﻿ (Kanaga Harbor)). The cutter USCGC Spencer ( United States Coast Guard) rescued her 40-man crew. Salvage efforts were abandoned. |

### 20 February

List of shipwrecks: 20 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Zoodochos Pighi | Greece | The auxiliary sailing ship sank in the Gulf of Corinth off Camari. |

### 21 February

List of shipwrecks: 21 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Benjamin Franklin | United States | The cargo ship sank at Yonkers, New York. |

### 28 February

List of shipwrecks: 28 February 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Gotenhof | Germany | The cargo ship collided with Dionyssios Stathatos ( Greece) in the Kiel Canal and sank. |
| Hazel L Myra | United Kingdom | The schooner caught fire off Bermuda (31°16′N 71°00′W﻿ / ﻿31.267°N 71.000°W﻿ / 31.267; -71.000) and was abandoned. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ide | Norway | The cargo ship foundered in the North Sea whilst on a voyage from Hamburg, Germany to Haugesund, Norway. Six crew were rescued by Corvus ( Norway). They were landed at Stavanger on 14 February. |

## March
### 1 March

List of shipwrecks: 1 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Neringa | Lithuania | The cargo ship ran aground 11 nautical miles (20 km) south of Memel with the loss of three crew. The ship broke in two; salvage attempts were abandoned on 11 March. |
| Wop | United Kingdom | The coaster sprang a leak and was abandoned off St. John's, Newfoundland. All crew survived. |

### 2 March

List of shipwrecks: 2 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Birma | Sweden | The cargo ship was abandoned in a sinking condition in the Skaggerak 20 nautical miles (37 km) off Hirtshals, Denmark. All crew were rescued by the fishing vessels Java ( Netherlands) and KW 159 ( Denmark). |

### 5 March

List of shipwrecks: 5 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Yolande | France | The cargo ship ran aground at Wei-Hai-Wei, China and was wrecked with the loss of nine of the 66 people on board. Survivors were rescued by HMS Capetown ( Royal Navy). |

### 6 March

List of shipwrecks: 6 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Baleares | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War, Battle of Cape Palos: The Nationalist Canarias-class cruiser was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (37°52′18″N 0°52′00″E﻿ / ﻿37.87167°N 0.86667°E﻿ / 37.87167; 0.86667) by the Republican destroyer Lepanto ( Spanish Navy) with the loss of 765 of her 1,206 crew. Some of the survivors were rescued by HMS Boreas and HMS Kempenfelt (both Royal Navy). |

### 8 March

List of shipwrecks: 8 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Tozan Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground off Uku, Nagasaki (33°20′N 129°10′E﻿ / ﻿33.333°N 129.167°E﻿ / 33.333; 129.167). Salvage efforts were abandoned on 18 March. |

### 9 March

List of shipwrecks: 9 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Locksley | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on Lindisfarne, Northumberland. All crew were rescued by a fishing vessel. |

### 10 March

List of shipwrecks: 10 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ena de Larrinaga | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided with Aachen ( Germany) off the Hohe Weg Lighthouse, Bremen, Germany. Ena de Larrinaga was beached. |

### 12 March

List of shipwrecks: 12 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Admiral Karpfanger | Germany | The four-masted barque reported by radio when off Cape Horn, Chile. Wreckage later found on Navarino Island. |
| Agnar | United Kingdom | The coaster, on a voyage from Vohemar, Madagascar, to Mauritius reported by radio from the Indian Ocean (16°09′S 52°31′E﻿ / ﻿16.150°S 52.517°E﻿ / -16.150; 52.517). No further trace, presumed foundered with loss of all crew. |

### 14 March

List of shipwrecks: 14 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Algo | Norway | The cargo ship ran aground at Lista, Norway, and sank. |
| Anglo-Australian | United Kingdom | The cargo ship passed the Azores, Portugal on a voyage from Cardiff, Glamorgan, to Vancouver, British Columbia. No further trace, presumed foundered. |

### 19 March

List of shipwrecks: 19 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Claus Böge | Germany | The cargo ship suffered an on-board explosion and sank 20 nautical miles (37 km) north west of the Horns-Rev Lightship ( Denmark) with the loss of her captain. The crew were rescued by Sverre Nergaard ( Sweden). The explosion was caused by two bombs which had been placed in her forward cargo holds by Norwegian dock workers who were members of the anti-fascist Wollweber League, while the ship was docked in Oslo, Norway. |

### 20 March

List of shipwrecks: 20 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| City of Buffalo | United States | The passenger ship caught fire and sank at Cleveland, Ohio. |

### 24 March

List of shipwrecks: 24 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chagford | United Kingdom | The coaster collided with Black Osprey ( United States) in the English Channel off St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight and sank with the loss of three of her seven crew. Survivors were rescued by Black Osprey. |
| Peter Hawksfield | United Kingdom | The coaster collided with Wairangi ( United Kingdom) in the English Channel off Kingsdown, Kent and sank. All thirteen crew were rescued by Wairangi. |
| Whitemantle | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided with Harraton ( United Kingdom) in the North Sea off the Shipwash Sands and was beached. She was later refloated with assistance from a tug. |

### 25 March

List of shipwrecks: 25 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Asahi Maru | Imperial Japanese Navy | The Asahi Maru-class hospital ship flooded and sank in dry dock at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipyard in Kobe, Japan, during a hull inspection. She was refloated out of the dry dock on 3 May. Repairs were completed on 9 June and she returned to service. |

### 28 March

List of shipwrecks: 28 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alaska Chief | United States | The 16-gross register ton cannery tender sank with the loss of four lives off the northeast coast of Grindall Island in Southeast Alaska after an explosion in her engine room. Only her captain survived. |

### 30 March

List of shipwrecks: 30 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lena | Greece | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was torpedoed by the Nationalist submarine General Mola ( Spain) off Barcelona, where she sunk in shallow waters. Refloated, repaired and put again in service as Castillo Moncada. |

### 31 March

List of shipwrecks: 31 March 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Baud | Netherlands | The cargo ship ran aground in the Kei Islands, Netherlands East Indies and was wrecked. |
| Taxiarchis | Greece | The auxiliary sailing ship foundered in the Saronic Gulf off Aegina. |

## April
### 1 April

List of shipwrecks: 1 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Abeille No.10 | France | The tug was in collision with Mosli ( Norway) at Le Havre, France and sank with the loss of six of her nine crew. |

### 2 April

List of shipwrecks: 2 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| City of Norwich | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on Perim, North Yemen. She was refloated on 11 April. |
| Flying Spray | United Kingdom | The tug was struck by the propeller of Cumberland ( United Kingdom) at Stobcross Quay, Glasgow, Renfrewshire and sank. She was refloated on 16 April and drydocked for repairs. |
| Tongking | Denmark | The cargo ship caught fire and was beached 7 nautical miles (13 km) north of Penang, Malay. She was declared a total loss. |

### 3 April

List of shipwrecks: 3 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Carnaro | Italy | The cargo liner ran aground on the Karam Masamahru Islet in the Red Sea and sank. All on board were rescued by Somalia ( Italy). |
| Rokta | Norway | The coaster ran aground off Kristiansund, Norway, with the loss of two of her ten crew. Two fishermen were drowned attempting to rescue the crew of Rokta. She sank on 5 April. |

### 4 April

List of shipwrecks: 4 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Meining | China | The tanker collided with Donluis (flag unknown) in Wenchow Harbour and sank. |
| Pegaway | United Kingdom | The cargo ship foundered in the North Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands. The crew were rescued by Wilhelm Gustloff ( Germany). |

### 6 April

List of shipwrecks: 6 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| J O Minx | United Kingdom | The schooner foundered in the Windward Passage off Cape Maisí, Cuba. |

### 7 April

List of shipwrecks: 7 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Frontier II | United Kingdom | The coaster ran aground in the Qora River, South Africa and was a total loss. |
| Rio Urumea | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was sunk by a German He-59. |

### 8 April

List of shipwrecks: 8 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Maksala | Germany | The cargo ship collided in foggy weather with Tafna ( United Kingdom) in the Bay of Biscay 20 nautical miles (37 km) north north east of Ouessant, Finistère, France and sank. All crew were rescued by Tafna. |

### 9 April

List of shipwrecks: 9 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mount Kyllene | Greece | The cargo ship exploded and broke in two in the Atlantic Ocean (41°30′N 28°00′W﻿ / ﻿41.500°N 28.000°W﻿ / 41.500; -28.000). Crew rescued by American Merchant ( United States), Inverice ( United Kingdom) and Kaia Knudsen ( Norway). |

### 10 April

List of shipwrecks: 10 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sleipner | Denmark | The tug capsized and sank at Copenhagen whilst assisting Mormacsea ( United States). Two crew were lost. |

### 11 April

List of shipwrecks: 11 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Perla | Italy | The passenger ship ran aground off Cape Cross, German South-West Africa. She was refloated but was leaking and was beached in Walvis Bay. |

### 13 April

List of shipwrecks: 13 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lake Osweya | United States | The Design 1020 cargo ship collided with San Mateo ( United States) off Jacksonville, Florida and was beached. |
| Petrel | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided with Hartlepool ( United Kingdom) in the River Thames and was beached at Hornchurch, Essex. She was refloated the next day. |
| Sud VI | Germany | The whaler struck a rock and sank off Gundo Point, Gran Canaria, Canary Isles, Portugal with the loss of one of her crew. |

### 21 April

List of shipwrecks: 21 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ora 2 | Norway | The sealer was crushed in pack ice and sank 150 nautical miles (280 km; 170 mi) northeast of St. John's, Newfoundland. All crew were rescued by the steamer Eagle ( United Kingdom). |

### 22 April

List of shipwrecks: 22 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| City of Salisbury | United Kingdom | Carrying miscellaneous cargo including tropical animals, the 5,924-gross register ton Ellerman Lines cargo liner ran aground in fog on Graves Ledge, a reef in outer Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, United States, at 42°22′26″N 070°51′35″W﻿ / ﻿42.37389°N 70.85972°W﻿ / 42.37389; -70.85972﻿ (City of Salisury). She broke in two on 23 April, with the bow section sinking. The rest of her wreck eventually broke up and sank in up to 90 feet (27 m) of water. All cargo salvaged and crew saved. |

### 26 April

List of shipwrecks: 26 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Malamton | United States | The cargo ship ran aground at Block Island, Rhode Island, in fog. She was refloated on 7 May and found to be severely damaged. |

### 29 April

List of shipwrecks: 29 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| España No.3 | Spain | The cargo ship ran aground at Sète, Hérault, France. Refloated on 2 May. |
| Fjeldøy | Norway | The cargo ship capsized and sank in the Kattegat 10 nautical miles (19 km) north west of the Skaw Lightship ( Denmark). The crew were rescued by a fishing vessel. |

### 30 April

List of shipwrecks: 30 April 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Tille | Peru | The auxiliary sailing vessel struck a rock and sank off Chimbote. |

## May
### 1 May

List of shipwrecks: 1 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Magallanes | Chile | The cargo ship foundered off Huafo. All crew were rescued. |

### 2 May

List of shipwrecks: 2 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Nasmyth | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground south of Areynaga Bay, Gran Canaria, Canary Isles, Spain. She was refloated on 7 May, but was consequently scrapped. |

### 4 May

List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eli | Norway | The cargo ship ran aground on Destacado Island (12°30′N 124°10′E﻿ / ﻿12.500°N 124.167°E﻿ / 12.500; 124.167). She was refloated on 11 May. |
| Lafayette | France | The ocean liner caught fire at Le Havre, Seine-Inférieure and was a total loss. She was consequently scrapped at Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands. |

### 5 May

List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Hachiyo Maru | Japan | The 60-gross register ton motor vessel sank in the Seto Inland Sea west of Kurahashi-jima, Japan, about two minutes after colliding with the submarine I-72 ( Imperial Japanese Navy) in limited visibility. |
| Port St. John | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on a reef off Lady Elliot Island, Australia and was beached. She was refloated on 13 May. |
| Ryoshu Maru | Japan | The cargo ship struck a rock and sank off Kii Ōshima. |

### 8 May

List of shipwrecks: 8 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Monica | Germany | The coaster capsized and sank at Hamburg, Germany. |

### 10 May

List of shipwrecks: 10 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Collico | Chile | The cargo ship collided with Don Alberto ( Chile) 18 nautical miles (33 km) north of Quiriquina Island and sank. All crew were rescued. |

### 15 May

List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Albania | Sweden | The cargo ship collided with Varhaug ( Norway) off Gothenburg, Sweden, and sank. All crew were rescued. |

### 16 May

List of shipwrecks: 16 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Manharton | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Mobile, Alabama, United States. Salvage was abandoned on 23 May and she was declared a total loss. |

### 18 May

List of shipwrecks: 18 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Iselgarth | United Kingdom | The tug ran aground and capsized at Barry, Glamorgan. |

### 19 May

List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Andenes | Norway | The cargo ship was hit amidships at Stavanger, Norway, by Leda and sank. |
| Foca | Chile | The cargo ship capsized and sank off Chiloé Island with the loss of all nineteen crew. |

### 22 May

List of shipwrecks: 22 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Harmanteh | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on Zealous Island, Messier Channel, Chile and was abandoned by her crew. Salvage efforts were abandoned on 6 June. |

### 23 May

List of shipwrecks: 23 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Neenah | United States | During a voyage under tow from Hoonah to Controller Bay (60°04′37″N 144°13′04″W﻿ / ﻿60.0770°N 144.2178°W﻿ / 60.0770; -144.2178﻿ (Controller Bay)) in the Territory of Alaska with no crew aboard and carrying an 85-ton cargo consisting of a floating cannery and related equipment, the 550-ton scow capsized and sank in ten minutes in the Gulf of Alaska 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) south of Lituya Bay. |

### 25 May

List of shipwrecks: 25 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Thorpehall | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk off Valencia. |

### 27 May

List of shipwrecks: 27 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Fairplay V | Germany | The tug capsized and sank at Hamburg, Germany, whilst towing Hohenfels ( Germany) with the loss of two crew. |
| Nausicaa | Panama | Spanish Civil War: The tanker was bombed and caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea (39°10′N 4°20′E﻿ / ﻿39.167°N 4.333°E﻿ / 39.167; 4.333) and was abandoned by her crew, who were rescued by Securinas ( Italy). She sank south of Menorca. |
| Triton | Kriegsmarine | The minelayer capsized and sank at Kiel, Germany, with the loss of four of her 30 crew. |

### 28 May

List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Greatend | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed at Valencia. Refloated, repaired and put back in service as Castillo Noreña. |

### 29 May

List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mandalay | United States | The passenger ship collided with Acadia ( United States) in Lower New York Bay and sank. All 325 people on board were rescued by Acadia. |

### 30 May

List of shipwrecks: 30 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Belfast Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground at the mouth of the Yangtze River. She sank on 9 June and salvage efforts were abandoned. |
| El Djem | France | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk off El Grau, Valencia. |

### 31 May

List of shipwrecks: 31 May 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Voltaire | French Navy | The decommissioned training ship, a former battleship, was scuttled in Quiberon Bay for long-term use as a gunnery target. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Minatogawa Maru | Japan | Ran aground and then sank at Kannoura, Japan. |

## June
### 1 June

List of shipwrecks: 1 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chu Tai | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Chu Yu-class gunboat was beached off Nankang, Fukien, China. She was still beached there when Japanese aircraft destroyed her on 19 April 1941. |
| Evanghelistria | Greece | The auxiliary sailing vessel caught fire and sank in the Salamis Strait. |

### 2 June

List of shipwrecks: 2 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mar Baltico | Spain | The cargo ship collided with Baltara ( United Kingdom) in the North Sea off Brunsbüttel, Germany and sank. |
| Mumara | United Kingdom | The Thames barge sank off Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. |

### 3 June

List of shipwrecks: 3 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Malaga | Spain | The cargo ship struck a rock and sank at Cabo de Quejo, Cantabria and sank. All crew were rescued. |
| Maryad | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The tanker was bombed and set of fire at Alicante. |

### 7 June

List of shipwrecks: 7 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Parklaan | Netherlands | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and severely damaged at Alicante, Spain. |

### 9 June

List of shipwrecks: 9 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Isadora | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk at Castellón. Refloated, repaired and put back in service as Castillo Frías. |
| Ocean Cock | United Kingdom | The tug (182 GRT) collided with Port Nicholson ( United Kingdom) in the River Thames at Gravesend, Kent and sank with the loss of four lives. She was raised on 11 June. |

### 10 June

List of shipwrecks: 10 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Thorpeheaven | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk at Alicante. Refloated, repaired and put back in service as Castillo Guadalest. |

### 11 June

List of shipwrecks: 11 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rudolf | Finland | The cargo ship sank in the Baltic Sea off the Oviši Lighthouse, Ventspils, Latvia. |

### 15 June

List of shipwrecks: 15 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cap Bear | France | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk at Valencia by Nationalist aircraft. |
| Laya | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: The Recalde-class gunboat was sunk by Nationalist aircraft at Valencia. Salvaged in February 1940, stricken the next month and sold for scrap. |

### 21 June

List of shipwrecks: 21 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sunion | Greece | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and sunk off Valencia by a Nationalist aircraft. |
| Thorpeness | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk off Valencia by Nationalist aircraft. |

### 22 June

List of shipwrecks: 22 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aghia Varvara | Greece | The cargo ship ran aground 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south of Ouessant, Finistère, France and sank. All crew were rescued. |

### 27 June

List of shipwrecks: 27 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Arlon | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The tanker bombed and set ablaze at Valencia harbour with the loss of one crew member. She was towed to open seas and sank. |
| Farnham | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk at Villajoyosa with the loss of two lives. She was refloated in 1940, repaired and put back in service as Castillo Montiel. |
| Ming Lai | China | The cargo ship caught fire and sank at Chungking. |

### 28 June

List of shipwrecks: 28 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Manicouagan | Canada | The ship caught fire off Port Paradis, Quebec and burnt down to the waterline. The hulk was towed to Pointe-Lebel, Quebec. |

### 29 June

List of shipwrecks: 29 June 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rhode Island | United Kingdom | The schooner sank in the Caribbean Sea. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Bretanha | Portugal | The schooner foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Forty-one crew were rescued by Dao ( Portugal) and landed at Horta, Azores on 4 June. |
| Gaulois | France | Spanish Civil War: The trawler was bombed and sunk at Valencia, Spain. The crew were landed at Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France on 21 June by Lingfield ( United Kingdom). |
| Suchan | Soviet Union | The cargo ship foundered in the La Perouse Strait "a few days" before 21 June. |

## July
### 1 July

List of shipwrecks: 1 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Hsien Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was sunk in the Yangtze by Japanese aircraft. |

### 2 July

List of shipwrecks: 2 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ainderby | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided with Westwood ( United Kingdom) in the River Tyne at Pelaw, Northumberland, and sank. She was refloated on 5 July. |
| Ascania | United Kingdom | The ocean liner ran aground in the St. Lawrence River, near Bic Island, Quebec, Canada. All 400 passengers were rescued by Beaverford ( United Kingdom). Later refloated, repaired and returned to service. |
| Cali | Chile | The passenger ship ran aground at Caldera. She capsized and was abandoned as a total loss. |

### 3 July

List of shipwrecks: 3 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chang Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Hai Ning-class patrol craft was sunk by Japanese aircraft on the Yangtze between Matang and Hankow, China. |
| Chung Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Hai Ning-class patrol craft was sunk by Japanese aircraft on the Yangtze between Matang and Hankow, China. |
| Stanley | United States | The 22-gross register ton, 40-foot (12 m) fishing vessel sank in Chatham Strait in the Alexander Archipelago between Poorman's Point and Wood (or Wooden) Island (56°09′40″N 134°39′30″W﻿ / ﻿56.16111°N 134.65833°W﻿ / 56.16111; -134.65833﻿ (Wood (Wooden) Island)) in Southeast Alaska. The only person aboard survived. |

### 5 July

List of shipwrecks: 5 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Iro | Greece | The cargo ship caught fire and sank at Amorgos. |

### 9 July

List of shipwrecks: 9 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Fogota | United Kingdom | The cargo ship caught fire at St. John's, Newfoundland and burnt to the waterline. All crew were rescued. |

### 11 July

List of shipwrecks: 11 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Nellie T Walters | United Kingdom | The schooner ran aground at Point Lance, Newfoundland and was a total loss. |

### 13 July

List of shipwrecks: 13 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Busy Bee | United States | The overloaded 9-gross register ton fishing vessel sank in Kelp Bay (57°17′54″N 134°51′57″W﻿ / ﻿57.2982°N 134.8658°W﻿ / 57.2982; -134.8658﻿ (Kelp Bay)) in Southeast Alaska. The motor vessel Redoubt ( United States) rescued her crew of four. |
| Dan Jr. | United States | The 17-gross register ton motor vessel suffered an explosion and was destroyed by an ensuing fire near Pleasant Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. The two people aboard survived and swam to a skiff that had been blown overboard by the explosion, from which rescuers in a rowboat picked them up. |
| Hsien Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Hsien Ning-class gunboat was sunk in the Yangtze between Matang and Hankow, China, by Japanese aircraft. |
| Luceric | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground in the Hooghly River in India and broke her back. She was abandoned as a total loss. |

### 15 July

List of shipwrecks: 15 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USFS Brant | United States Bureau of Fisheries | The fishery patrol vessel ran aground on Williams Reef in the Territory of Alaska's Kodiak Archipelago 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) from Kodiak, suffering extensive damage. The seaplane tenders USS Teal and USS Wright (both United States Navy) assisted in refloating her. She was repaired and returned to service by January 1939. |

### 19 July

List of shipwrecks: 19 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Amiral Sénès | French Navy | The decommissioned destroyer was sunk as a target. |

### 20 July

List of shipwrecks: 20 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chiang Chen | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was sunk on the Yangtze by Japanese aircraft. The Japanese seized her on 15 November and salvaged her. |

### 21 July

List of shipwrecks: 21 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Unknown junk | Republic of China | Second Sino-Japanese War: The junk was captured and "disposed of" by Delhi Maru ( Imperial Japanese Navy) near Matsu Island. |

### 23 July

List of shipwrecks: 23 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Anvers | Belgium | The cargo ship collided with Planet ( Germany) in the Paraná River and was beached at Rosario, Argentina. She was refloatedon 31 July, repaired and returned to service. |

### 25 July

List of shipwrecks: 25 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Iwatesan Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground at Kaihyo To, Sakhalin, Soviet Union. |
| Eva | Estonia | The cargo ship sank in Pärnu Bay. |
| Nikos T | Greece | The cargo ship caught fire at Santos and was beached. She was refloated on 8 August. |

### 26 July

List of shipwrecks: 26 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Dellwin | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and damaged at Gandia, Spain. She sank in the early hours of 27 July. |
| Shinfu | United Kingdom | The cargo ship caught fire at Foochow, China and was beached. |
| Triton | United Kingdom | The tug capsized and sank at Porlock, Somerset. All crew survived. |

### 27 July

List of shipwrecks: 27 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Shi 223 | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Shi 34-class motor torpedo boat was lost. |
| Tachibana Maru | Imperial Japanese Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War:The Tachibana Maru class special hospital ship was sunk in Lake Poyang by Republic of China Air Force Curtiss P-36 Hawk fighter-bombers. Salvaged in September, towed to Shanghai for emergency repairs and then to Kobe for permanent repairs. Returned to civilian service 2 March 1939. |

### 29 July

List of shipwrecks: 29 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Notre Dame de St. Jouan | France | The schooner caught fire 10 nautical miles (19 km) off Cape Pine, Newfoundland and was abandoned by her crew. |

### 30 July

List of shipwrecks: 30 July 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| USFS Kittiwake | United States Bureau of Fisheries | The fishery patrol vessel struck an uncharted rock in Moira Sound on the east side of the southern end of Prince of Wales Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. She was repaired and returned to service. |

## August
### 1 August

List of shipwrecks: 1 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Hino Maru No.2 | Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore in the Enshu Gulf (34°35′N 137°03′E﻿ / ﻿34.583°N 137.050°E﻿ / 34.583; 137.050). She was refloated on 22 August. |

### 2 August

List of shipwrecks: 2 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Massaua | Italy | The cargo ship ran aground on the Abu Faramish Reef in the Red Sea off Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She was refloated on 15 September. |

### 3 August

List of shipwrecks: 3 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Martha | United States | The 11-gross register ton fishing vessel sank in heavy seas in Chilkat Inlet in Southeast Alaska. Her crew of two survived. |

### 6 August

List of shipwrecks: 6 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lake Lugano | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and set on fire at Palamos by Nationalist aircraft. |

### 7 August

List of shipwrecks: 7 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Reliance | Germany | The 19,821 GRT ocean liner caught fire at Hamburg, Germany, and was severely damaged and beached. Krupp scrapped her in 1941. |

### 9 August

List of shipwrecks: 9 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| No. 9 Hu Ying | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese aircraft sank the Hu Peng-class torpedo boat in the Yangtze between Matang and Hankow. |

### 12 August

List of shipwrecks: 12 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Norman Queen | United Kingdom | Ran aground at Flat Holm but was later refloated. |

### 13 August

List of shipwrecks: 13 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Edith | Denmark | Spanish Civil War, bombed and sunk off the Balearic Islands. |

### 14 August

List of shipwrecks: 14 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Artois | France | Spanish Civil War: The coaster struck a mine and sank 35 nautical miles (65 km) south east of Gibraltar (35°49′N 4°42′W﻿ / ﻿35.817°N 4.700°W﻿ / 35.817; -4.700). All 14 crew rescued by Theresia L M Russ ( Germany). |

### 15 August

List of shipwrecks: 15 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Hansa | Germany | The passenger ship collided with Tungwo ( United Kingdom) in the Yangtze Estuary and sank with the loss of about 100 lives. Around 30 people were rescued. HMS Scarab ( Royal Navy) assisted in the rescue. |

### 17 August

List of shipwrecks: 17 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Unknown ships | Republic of China | Second Sino-Japanese War: Two medium-sized cargo ships were captured and burned by Delhi Maru ( Imperial Japanese Navy) near Wenzhou Bay. The crews were transferred to two smaller Chinese ships and released. |
| Unknown ships | Republic of China | Second Sino-Japanese War: Three medium-sized cargo ships were captured and burned by Delhi Maru ( Imperial Japanese Navy) near Wenzhou Bay. The crews were transferred to two smaller Chinese ships and released. |

### 18 August

List of shipwrecks: 18 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| DAR 1 | Spanish Republican Navy | Spanish Civil War: The DAR 1-class anti-submarine motor launch was lost on this date. |

### 19 August

List of shipwrecks: 19 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cape Pine | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Danzig Cove, Newfoundland. She was reported as "likely to be a total loss". |
| Lummi Bay | United States | The 43-gross register ton fishing vessel sank in Southeast Alaska 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north of Tree Point Light. Her crew of six survived. |
| Stanbrook | United Kingdom | Nationalist air attacks sank the 1,363 GRT cargo ship off the Catalan coast. She was refloated in 23 August and subsequently repaired. |

### 20 August

List of shipwrecks: 20 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Girasol | United Kingdom | The cargo ship was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean (52°02′N 5°21′W﻿ / ﻿52.033°N 5.350°W﻿ / 52.033; -5.350) after her cargo shifted. All eleven crew were rescued by Aguila and Shula (both United Kingdom). The abandoned Girasol was taken in tow by the Lowestoft trawler Mare and towed into Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. |

### 23 August

List of shipwrecks: 23 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eidsvold | United States | The 22-gross register ton fishing vessel sank off Cape Lookout (55°07′N 133°12′W﻿ / ﻿55.117°N 133.200°W﻿ / 55.117; -133.200﻿ (Cape Lookout)) on the coast of Dall Island in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska with the loss of her entire crew of seven. |
| Imprenable | Marine Nationale | The Embuscade-class floating battery was rammed and sunk at Cherbourg, Charente-Maritime by a Swedish tanker. |
| Mallard | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided with Sidney M. Hauptman ( United States) at Baltimore, Maryland, and was beached. |

### 26 August

List of shipwrecks: 26 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sebaa | France | The cargo ship collided with Ploubazalnec ( France) at Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône and was beached in a severely damaged state. |
| Woolgar | Norway | The cargo ship ran aground at Shiriyasaki, Japan (41°21′N 141°28′E﻿ / ﻿41.350°N 141.467°E﻿ / 41.350; 141.467). She was refloated on 13 September. |

### 28 August

List of shipwrecks: 28 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| C P #4 | United States | The small motor craft was lost at Kenai, Territory of Alaska. |
| Fermia | Sweden | The cargo ship ran aground at Cape Nosappu, Japan. She broke in two on 14 September and was declared a total loss. |

### 31 August

List of shipwrecks: 31 August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chatham | United States | The 650-ton schooner caught fire while loading fertilizer at Ward Cove in Southeast Alaska and was beached. The fire virtually destroyed her. Two crewmen suffered minor burns, but there were no fatalities. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date August 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| C P #12 | United States | With no one aboard, the 26-gross register ton, 51-foot (15.5 m) scow was wrecked without loss of life at the mouth of the Kenai River on the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska. |

## September
### 1 September

List of shipwrecks: 1 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Haguro Maru | Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Yokosuka in a typhoon. She was refloated on 11 September. |
| Kairyu Maru | Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Kawasaki in a typhoon. |
| Kiri Maru | Japan | The coaster was driven ashore aon the Saratoga Spit in a typhoon. |
| Shoyei Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground on Sakhalin, Soviet Union in foggy weather. |
| Snow White | Panama | The auxiliary three-masted schooner ran aground in the North Sea on the Haaksgrounds, off the Dutch coast and was a total loss. All crew were rescued by Amsterdam ( Netherlands). |
| Sorachi Maru | Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Jōgashima in a typhoon and broke in two. She was successfully salvaged, repaired, rebuilt with a diesel engine and returned to service. |

### 5 September

List of shipwrecks: 5 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Araucania | Chile | The coaster struck a rock and sank at Quintero Point. |

### 7 September

List of shipwrecks: 7 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Italia Prince | United Kingdom | The passenger ship caught fire in the Bay of Biscay and was abandoned. All 45 people on board were rescued by Atlantide ( Italy) and Capitaine Augustin ( France). |

### 9 September

List of shipwrecks: 9 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Elg | Norway | The cargo ship ran aground in San Luis Obispo Bay, California, United States. She was refloated on 13 September. |
| Gokenzan Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground at Amwawan, Sakhalin, Soviet Union. |
| Nora | United Kingdom | The tug foundered in the Mediterranean Sea north of Tabarka, Tunisia. |

### 11 September

List of shipwrecks: 11 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Abava | Latvia | The cargo ship collided with British Tommy ( United Kingdom) and was beached on Bolland, Denmark. |

### 12 September

List of shipwrecks: 12 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Frances L. Spindler | United Kingdom | The auxiliary schooner was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland. All crew survived and landed at Farmyard, Labrador, Canada. |

### 13 September

List of shipwrecks: 13 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| St. Clair Therault | United Kingdom | The schooner ran aground in the River Moy at Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland. She was refloated on 25 September. |

### 14 September

List of shipwrecks: 14 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Nippon | Sweden | The cargo ship collided with Aisne ( France) in the North Sea off the Wandelaar Lightship ( Belgium) and sank. All crew were rescued. |

### 16 September

List of shipwrecks: 16 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Matsuura Maru | Japan | The cargo ship struck a sunken wreck and sank at the mouth of the Yangtze River, China with the loss of nineteen crew. |

### 17 September

List of shipwrecks: 17 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Dorothy Wintermote | United States | The cargo ship ran aground at Point Arena, California. Although refloated and taken in tow on 21 September, she foundered. All crew were rescued. |
| Karin | Sweden | The auxiliary four-masted schooner caught fire at Oregrund and was scuttled to extinguish the fire. |

### 19 September

List of shipwrecks: 19 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Camelita | United Kingdom | The schooner was wrecked at Montserrat. |
| Elvin | Norway | The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank in the North Sea. All crew were rescued. |

### 21 September

List of shipwrecks: 21 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Beaver Tail | United States | 1938 New England hurricane: The 110-foot (34 m), 301-gross register ton ferry, a sidewheel paddle steamer, was blown ashore by a hurricane just north of Cranston Cove on the northeast side of Conanicut Island in Narragansett Bay off the coast of Rhode Island at 41°32′47″N 071°21′40″W﻿ / ﻿41.54639°N 71.36111°W﻿ / 41.54639; -71.36111﻿ (Beaver Tail). Left high and dry on shore, the wreck was extensively salvaged. |
| Havmann | Norway | The cargo ship reported that she was west of Ireland. No further trace, presumed foundered with the loss of all hands. |
| Monhegan | United States | 1938 New England hurricane: The 128-foot (39 m) passenger steamer sank without loss of life at her dock at Providence, Rhode Island. She later was refloated, and her wreck was towed to Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay and abandoned just off the island′s east shore, 150 yards (137 m) north of Prudence Island Light (also known as Sandy Point Lighthouse). The wreck settled in 5 feet (1.5 m) of water at 41°36′23″N 071°18′11″W﻿ / ﻿41.60639°N 71.30306°W﻿ / 41.60639; -71.30306﻿ (Monhegan). |
| A pinnace attached to HMS Vernon | Royal Navy | The pinnace was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel off Weymouth, Dorset, England, by the submarine HMS Undine ( Royal Navy). All seven crew were rescued by a Royal Navy destroyer. |

### 22 September

List of shipwrecks: 22 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cricket | United States | The tug sank at New London, Connecticut, in a hurricane. |
| Lawrence | United States | While under tow by the motor vessel McCray ( United States) from Cordova to Ketchikan, Territory of Alaska, with 20 tons of cargo and a crew of two aboard, the 370-gross register ton barge foundered in the Gulf of Alaska off the coast of Southeast Alaska 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) southeast of Cape Fairweather (58°48′30″N 137°56′45″W﻿ / ﻿58.80833°N 137.94583°W﻿ / 58.80833; -137.94583﻿ (Cape Fairweather)). After McCray rescued Lawrence's crew, the cutter USCGC Cyane ( United States Coast Guard) attempted to sink Lawrence but was unsuccessful, and Lawrence, last seen drifting toward shore, subsequently disappeared. |
| Phoenix | United States | The tanker became stranded in a hurricane at Fall River, Massachusetts, United States. She was refloated on 25 November. |
| Washingtonian | United States | The ship collided with USS Henley ( United States Navy) in San Diego Harbor, California. Both vessels were severely damaged. |

### 23 September

List of shipwrecks: 23 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Sydney Star | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided with a coaster in Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia and was beached. She was refloated on 26 September. |

### 24 September

List of shipwrecks: 24 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Corinthia | United Kingdom | The schooner ran aground in the Essequibo River, British Guiana and was a total loss. |
| Dux | Iceland | The cargo ship sprang a leak and foundered in the Baltic Sea off Öland, Sweden. |

### 26 September

List of shipwrecks: 26 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mohawk | United States | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Fall River, Massachusetts, in a hurricane. |
| Monhegan | United States | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Fall River in a hurricane. |
| Pequonnock | United States | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Fall River in a hurricane. |
| Prudence | United States | The tug was driven ashore at Fall River in a hurricane. |
| Westport | United States | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Fall River in a hurricane. |

### 27 September

List of shipwrecks: 27 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Greenwood | United Kingdom | The schooner foundered in the Atlantic Ocean off Miquelon. All crew were rescued. |
| Kia Wo | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground at Chungkiang, China. She was refloated on 19 May 1939. |
| Tatoosh | United States | The 31-gross register ton, 50.4-foot (15.4 m) fishing vessel sank after striking a navigational dolphin in Wrangell Narrows in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. Her crew of seven abandoned ship and climbed onto the dolphin, from which the motor vessel Recovery ( United States) rescued them. |

### 28 September

List of shipwrecks: 28 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mary Barrow | United Kingdom | The schooner was wrecked in the Irish Sea off the Calf of Man. |
| Tregastel | France | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Cadaqués, Spain in a storm and was a total loss. |

### 29 September

List of shipwrecks: 29 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Dayavati | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground on Darya Bahadurgarh Island, Mysore and was a total loss. |

### 30 September

List of shipwrecks: 30 September 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lavi | Portugal | The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean 25 nautical miles (46 km) off Ponta Delgada, Azores. All crew were rescued. |

## October
### 1 October

List of shipwrecks: 1 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Gastelu | Spain | The cargo ship sprang a leak and foundered in the Bay of Biscay (46°25′N 7°15′W﻿ / ﻿46.417°N 7.250°W﻿ / 46.417; -7.250). The crew were rescued by British Aviator ( United Kingdom). |

### 2 October

List of shipwrecks: 2 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ben Seyr | United Kingdom | The cargo ship departed Ramsey, Isle of Man bound for Cardiff, Glamorgan and was not seen again, presumed to have foundered. |

### 3 October

List of shipwrecks: 3 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Gothic | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed, set on fire and severely damaged at Barcelona. Later salvaged, repaired and returned to service. |
| Thorpe Bay | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed, set on fire and severely damaged at Barcelona. |

### 4 October

List of shipwrecks: 4 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Plus | Norway | The auxiliary schooner ran aground in the Kattegat at Hirsholmene, Denmark and was a total loss. |
| Regina | Netherlands | The coaster ran aground on Sker Sands, off Porthcawl, Glamorgan. She was refloated on 8 November. |

### 6 October

List of shipwrecks: 6 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| E. J. Bullock | United States | The tanker exploded and sank in the Caribbean Sea 30 nautical miles (56 km) south west of Dry Tortuga with the loss of two of her 36 crew. Survivors were rescued by O. M. Bernuth ( United States). |

### 8 October

List of shipwrecks: 8 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Kyle Prince | United Kingdom | The cargo ship was abandoned in the Irish Sea 7 nautical miles (13 km) off Rhosneigr, Anglesey. All crew were rescued by the Holyhead lifeboat. Kyle Prince came ashore at Cable Bay, Holyhead and was a total loss. |

### 9 October

List of shipwrecks: 9 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| C-1 Isaac Peral | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: The C 1-class submarine was bombed and sunk at Barcelona. Raised in November 1938 but not repaired. The submarine was used for spare parts. |

### 13 October

List of shipwrecks: 13 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Yorkbrook | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk at Barcelona. It was later refloated, repaired and put back in service as Castillo Monteagudo. |

### 14 October

List of shipwrecks: 14 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| PSB&D Co. #8 | United States | The 247-gross register ton, 92-foot (28.0 m) cargo scow was wrecked on Kanak Island (60°08′N 144°21′W﻿ / ﻿60.133°N 144.350°W﻿ / 60.133; -144.350﻿ (Kanak Island)) in Controller Bay (60°04′37″N 144°13′04″W﻿ / ﻿60.0770°N 144.2178°W﻿ / 60.0770; -144.2178﻿ (Controller Bay)) on the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska. |

### 15 October

List of shipwrecks: 15 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Marjorie | United Kingdom | The coaster foundered in the Irish Sea off St. John's Point, County Antrim. The crew were rescued by Donaghmore ( United Kingdom). |
| Volante | United States | The 18-gross register ton, 57.9-foot (17.6 m) fishing vessel departed Sitka, Territory of Alaska, with only her captain aboard and was never seen or heard from again. She was presumed lost on or about this date in a storm in the vicinity of Salisbury Sound in the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. |

### 16 October

List of shipwrecks: 16 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Macray | United States | While towing a scow from Cordova to Petersburg, Territory of Alaska, the 86-gross register ton tug was blown ashore and wrecked by a gale in Controller Bay (60°08′N 144°21′W﻿ / ﻿60.133°N 144.350°W﻿ / 60.133; -144.350﻿ (Controller Bay)) on the coast of Southcentral Alaska. Her crew survived and was rescued from the beach on 18 October by the cutter USCGC Morris ( United States Coast Guard). |

### 17 October

List of shipwrecks: 17 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Arcenio Canada | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: The auxiliary patrol ship was lost on this date. |

### 18 October

List of shipwrecks: 18 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Calderone de la Barco and Cervantes 6 | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: The minesweepers were sunk by mines. |
| T.T.H. | United Kingdom | The Thames barge sank at Brightlingsea, Essex. Her crew were rescued by the motor barge Piper II ( United Kingdom). |

### 19 October

List of shipwrecks: 19 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Annie Byford | United Kingdom | The Thames barge collided with another vessel in the River Thames at Erith, Kent, and sank. |

### 20 October

List of shipwrecks: 20 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chasseur 91 | Marine Nationale | Spanish Civil War: The vessel was bombed and sunk by Spanish Nationalist aircraft at Fornells. |

### 21 October

List of shipwrecks: 21 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Bims | Norway | The cargo ship sprang a leak and was abandoned in the Baltic Sea off Hiiumaa, Estonia. The crew were rescued by Turksib ( Soviet Union). |
| Toten Maru | Japan | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Tateyama in a typhoon. She was refloated on 10 November. |
| Yung Chi | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was sunk by Japanese aircraft in the Yangtze near Hsin-Ti, China. She was captured by the Japanese on 8 November 1937; they refloated and repaired her and transferred her on 22 May 1940 to the collaborationist Nanjing Nationalist Government, for which she served as Hai Hsing ( Nanjing Government Navy). |

### 22 October

List of shipwrecks: 22 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Etolin | United States | The 24-gross register ton, 53-foot (16.2 m) fishing vessel was destroyed in Red Bay (56°20′N 133°18′W﻿ / ﻿56.333°N 133.300°W﻿ / 56.333; -133.300﻿ (Red Bay)) in Southeast Alaska by a fire that began when her gasoline engine backfired. Her crew of two was rescued by the motor vessel Caesar ( United States). |
| Hsin Taiping | China | The cargo ship came ashore at Oshima, Japan, in a typhoon. She was declared a total loss. |

### 23 October

List of shipwrecks: 23 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Kuai 2 | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Kuai 1-class motor torpedo boat, a modified version of the coastal motor boat, was lost at Canton, China |
| La Morinie | France | The tug sank at Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais whilst towing Matra ( United Kingdom). |

### 24 October

List of shipwrecks: 24 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Alden | United States | After her clutch broke during a gale 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) off the south-central coast of the Territory of Alaska and eight nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) west of Dry Bay (59°07′N 139°00′W﻿ / ﻿59.117°N 139.000°W﻿ / 59.117; -139.000﻿ (Dry Bay)) and she became impossible to steer, the 47-gross register ton motor vessel was abandoned. The motor vessel Christine ( United States) rescued all eight members of her crew. Alden was last seen drifting toward the beach and was a total loss. |
| Chung Shan | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War, Battle of Wuhan: The Yung Feng-class gunboat was sunk in the Yangtze off Kinkou, China, by Japanese aircraft. She was refloated in 1997, restored, and placed on exhibit in a purpose-built museum. |
| Kuai 1 | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Kuai 1-class motor torpedo boat, a modified version of the coastal motor boat, was lost at Canton, China |
| Kuai 4 | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Kuai 3-class motor torpedo boat was lost at Canton, China |

### 25 October

List of shipwrecks: 25 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Kuai 3 | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Kuai 3-class motor torpedo boat was lost at Canton, China |

### 26 October

List of shipwrecks: 26 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chryssi | Greece | The cargo ship collided in the River Maas at Poortershaven, Netherlands with Maria Cristina ( Portugal) and sank. Maria Cristina was a total loss. |

### 27 October

List of shipwrecks: 27 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Hillfern | United Kingdom | The cargo ship ran aground off the Cap Couronne Lighthouse, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. She was refloated on 26 November. |

### 28 October

List of shipwrecks: 28 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eliza | United States | After her gasoline engine broke down in rough weather during a voyage from Juneau to Klawock, Territory of Alaska, the 12-gross register ton motor vessel drifted onto rocks and sank off Point Hugh Light (57°34′10″N 133°48′30″W﻿ / ﻿57.56944°N 133.80833°W﻿ / 57.56944; -133.80833﻿ (Point Hugh Light)) in Southeast Alaska. Her crew of two survived. |

### 29 October

List of shipwrecks: 29 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Taiko Maru | Japan | The cargo ship ran aground at Tsumiki. She was refloated but found to be leaking and was consequently beached. |

### 30 October

List of shipwrecks: 30 October 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lynaes | Denmark | The cargo ship ran aground at Klitmøller. She was refloated on 7 November and taken in tow by Garm ( Denmark) but foundered 7 nautical miles (13 km) east of Hirtshals. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Chiang Kung | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Chiang Kung-class gunboat was sunk in the Tsuin River near Canton, China by Japanese aircraft. |
| Kung Chen | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was sunk at Canton, China by Japanese aircraft. |
| Kung Sheng | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Kung Sheng-class patrol/survey boat was sunk by Japanese aircraft on the Yangtze at Canton, China. |
| Lena A | flag unknown | The ship was lost off Parker's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada. |
| Mineral | Germany | The coaster passed Brunsbüttel, Germany on 1 October bound for Antwerp, Belgium. No further trace, presumed foundered. |

## November
### 2 November

List of shipwrecks: 2 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Antje Oltmann | Germany | The coaster capsized and sank in the Elbe. |
| Cantabria | Spain | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the North Sea off Cromer, Norfolk, United Kingdom (53°01′58″N 1°31′57″E﻿ / ﻿53.03278°N 1.53250°E﻿ / 53.03278; 1.53250) by the auxiliary cruiser Nadir ( Spanish Navy) with the loss of at least one of the 45 people on board. Survivors were rescued by H F Bailey ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution), Pattersonian ( United Kingdom) and Nadir. |

### 4 November

List of shipwrecks: 4 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Istria | Italy | The sailing ship collided with Meteor ( Italy) at Lido di Venezia, Venice and sank. |
| La Corse | France | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and sunk off Cape Matara. She was refloated, repaired and returned to service as Castillo Jarandilla. |
| Stanburgh | United Kingdom | The cargo ship exploded and caught fire at Sète, Hérault, France whilst loading a cargo of petrol. She was moved away from the port and beached; declared a total loss. |

### 5 November

List of shipwrecks: 5 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Num. 31 | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: The Num. 11-class motor torpedo boat was sunk by Nationalist aircraft at Cartagena, Spain. |

### 6 November

List of shipwrecks: 6 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Eleni | United Kingdom | The coaster was bombed and sunk at Águilas, Murcia, Spain. All fourteen crew survived. Later raised, repaired and returned to service as Castillo Vera. |

### 7 November

List of shipwrecks: 7 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Reshitelnyy | Soviet Union | The uncompleted Gnevny-class destroyer was driven ashore and wrecked 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) from Sovetskaya whilst being towed from Sovetskaya to Okhotsk by Okhotsk ( Soviet Union). |

### 9 November

List of shipwrecks: 9 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Delphoi | Greece | The cargo ship was driven ashore at Chekka, Syria. She was refloated on 14 November. |

### 11 November

List of shipwrecks: 11 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Shun Sheng | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Shun Sheng-class patrol craft was scuttled on Dongting Lake at Yueyang. |
| Yung Sheng, Yi Sheng and Jen Sheng | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Kung Sheng-class patrol/survey boats were sunk by Japanese aircraft on the Yangtze at Yueyang. |

### 12 November

List of shipwrecks: 12 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Meng Sen | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Meng Sen-class gunboat was bombed and damaged by Japanese aircraft on the Yangtze off Hankow on 27 October 1938. Scuttled on this date. Salvaged in 1939 by Japan and put in service as Hitonose ( Imperial Japanese Navy). |
| Kiang Chen | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The Kian Yuan-class gunboat was bombed and damaged by Japanese aircraft on the Yangtze off Hankow on 27 October 1938. Scuttled on this date. |

### 14 November

List of shipwrecks: 14 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ben May | United Kingdom | The coaster sank off the Mull of Galloway. All three crew were rescued. |
| Kyodu Maru No.16 | Japan | The cargo liner caught fire in the East China Sea (approximately 36°N 122°E﻿ / ﻿36°N 122°E﻿ / 36; 122) and was abandoned. All passengers and crew were rescued by Toyoura Maru ( Japan). Kyodu Maru No.16 was towed into Qingdao, China. |
| Retriever | Sweden | The auxiliary sailing ship came ashore at Karlshamn and was a total loss. All crew were rescued. |

### 15 November

List of shipwrecks: 15 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| RFA Bacchus II | Royal Navy | The stores ship was sunk as a target in the English Channel 10 nautical miles (19 km) north of Alderney, Channel Islands by HMS Dunedin ( Royal Navy). |

### 17 November

List of shipwrecks: 17 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Walborg | Netherlands | The cargo ship ran aground at Bayonne, Basses-Pyrénées, France and was a total loss. |

### 18 November

List of shipwrecks: 18 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lina | United Kingdom | The Thames barge collided with Henry Tegner ( Denmark) in the River Thames at Greenwich and sank. |

### 19 November

List of shipwrecks: 19 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Guernica | Spain | The cargo ship ran aground at Gothenburg, Sweden. All crew were rescued. The vessel was reported as likely to be a total loss. |

### 21 November

List of shipwrecks: 21 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Soya Maru | Japan | The passenger ship ran aground at Wakanai. She was refloated on 10 December. |

### 22 November

List of shipwrecks: 22 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Mary | Sweden | The auxiliary three-masted schooner sank off Cimbrishamn. All crew were rescued. |

### 23 November

List of shipwrecks: 23 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Astrild | United Kingdom | The Thames barge came ashore on the Suffolk coast in a gale. The crew were rescued by the Aldeburgh lifeboat. Astrild then drifted out to sea and was later towed into Scheveningen, South Holland, Netherlands by a Dutch lugger. |
| City of Benton Harbor | United States | The cargo ship was destroyed by fire at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, whilst laid up. |
| Ideal | France | The auxiliary schooner ran aground at Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, and was wrecked with the loss of one of her four crew. |
| Lochranza Castle | United Kingdom | The auxiliary schooner ran aground and sank in Liverpool Bay. All four crew were rescued by the New Brighton lifeboat. |
| Nora | United Kingdom | The coaster ran aground and sank north of the Corsewall Lighthouse, Dumfries-shire. Five crew were rescued by Jennie Spiers ( Royal National Lifeboat Institution). |

### 24 November

List of shipwrecks: 24 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Lenna | Estonia | The cargo ship capsized and sank in the North Sea (53°50′N 6°19′E﻿ / ﻿53.833°N 6.317°E﻿ / 53.833; 6.317). Nineteen crew were rescued by Pionier ( Germany). |

### 26 November

List of shipwrecks: 26 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Nandi | Norway | The cargo ship came ashore on the west coast of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Salvage efforts were abandoned "until spring" in December 1938. All crew were rescued. |

### 27 November

List of shipwrecks: 27 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Ideal | France | The schooner was wrecked at Colhugh Point, Glamorgan, United Kingdom with the loss of one of her five crew. She was on a voyage from Swansea, Glamorgan to Dahouët, Côtes-du-Nord. |

### 28 November

List of shipwrecks: 28 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Monica R Walters | United Kingdom | The auxiliary schooner came ashore at Black Island, Labrador, Canada. |

### 29 November

List of shipwrecks: 29 November 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Candleston Castle | United Kingdom | The cargo ship was driven ashore 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) east of Oran, Algeria and was abandoned. She was refloated on 31 December. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| M-91 | Soviet Union | The submarine sank whilst on trials. |

## December
### 1 December

List of shipwrecks: 1 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Allen F. Rose | Canada | The schooner caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean (49°40′N 47°57′W﻿ / ﻿49.667°N 47.950°W﻿ / 49.667; -47.950) and was abandoned. Her crew were rescued by Mormacsun ( United States). |

### 3 December

List of shipwrecks: 3 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Angelki | Greece | The cargo ship foundered in the Steno Passage. |

### 4 December

List of shipwrecks: 4 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Akte | Greece | Collided with La Plata ( Germany) in the Bay of Biscay (47°40′N 6°20′W﻿ / ﻿47.667°N 6.333°W﻿ / 47.667; -6.333) and sank with the loss of seventeen lives. At least fifteen survivors were rescued by La Plata. |

### 5 December

List of shipwrecks: 5 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Arturo | Brazil | The cargo ship sank in the River Nechi. |
| Tczew | Poland | The cargo ship capsized and sank at Danzig with the loss of two lives. |

### 8 December

List of shipwrecks: 8 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Beme | Panama | The tanker collided with Glorgio ( Italy) in the Bosporus and was beached. She was refloated on 14 December. |

### 11 December

List of shipwrecks: 11 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Patterson | United States | Patterson.During a voyage from Kodiak, Territory of Alaska, to Seattle, Washington, with a cargo of 20 tons of general merchandise, the 604-gross register ton, 164.1-foot (50.0 m) motor cargo ship ran aground 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) north of Cape Fairweather 58°48′30″N 137°56′45″W﻿ / ﻿58.80833°N 137.94583°W﻿ / 58.80833; -137.94583﻿ (Cape Fairweather)) on the south-central coast of Alaska and was wrecked with the loss of two of her 20 crew. |

### 13 December

List of shipwrecks: 13 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Kodan | Denmark | The auxiliary sailing vessel ran aground south of Bergqvara and was a total loss. |
| Sac 6 | Spain | The cargo ship ran aground at Narbonne, Aude, France and broke in two. She was declared a total loss. All crew were rescued. |

### 17 December

List of shipwrecks: 17 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Jeanne M | United Kingdom | The cargo ship collided with Varmdo ( Sweden) in the Øresund and sank. All crew were rescued. |

### 18 December

List of shipwrecks: 18 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Le Phoque | Belgium | The cargo ship was severely damaged in a collision with Bennekom ( Netherlands) at Antwerp. Not repaired, she was sold for scrap in June 1939. |
| USS S-19 | United States Navy | The decommissioned S-class submarine was scuttled in the Pacific Ocean off Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in accordance with the terms of the Second London Naval Treaty. |

### 19 December

List of shipwrecks: 19 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Cabedello | Brazil | The cargo ship ran aground at Rio Grande do Norte. She was refloated on or about 8 January 1939. |
| Fieldwood | United Kingdom | The schooner sprang a leak in the Atlantic Ocean and was abandoned at 42°23′N 8°45′W﻿ / ﻿42.383°N 8.750°W﻿ / 42.383; -8.750. All seven crew were rescued by American Farmer ( United States). |
| Stockholm | Sweden | The ocean liner was destroyed by fire at Monfalcone, Italy. Declared a total loss, she was later scrapped. |

### 20 December

List of shipwrecks: 20 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| M. E. Johnson | United Kingdom | The auxiliary schooner sank off Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford, Ireland. |
| Tonecas | Portugal | The ferry collided in the Tagus with the dredger Finalmaria ( Portugal) and sank with heavy loss of life. |

### 22 December

List of shipwrecks: 22 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Clara | Belgium | The cargo ship ran aground at Stubbekøbing, Denmark. She was refloated on 1 January 1939. |
| Mahone | United Kingdom | The cargo ship caught fire at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and was a total loss. |
| Taillefer | France | The cargo ship ran aground east of Cherbourg, Seine-Inférieure. |

### 23 December

List of shipwrecks: 23 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Atlantide | Italy | The cargo ship ran aground in the Scheldt at Bath, Zeeland, Netherlands. She broke in two and was declared a total loss. |
| Smaragd | United Kingdom | The tanker foundered in the Atlantic Ocean 600 nautical miles (1,100 km) east south east of the Ambrose Lighthouse. All 22 people on board were rescued by Schodack ( United States). |

### 26 December

List of shipwrecks: 26 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Nonguen | Chile | The tug was under tow in the Atlantic Ocean when the tow had to be cut and she subsequently sank off Valparaiso. |

### 27 December

List of shipwrecks: 27 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Stancrott | United Kingdom | Spanish Civil War: The cargo ship was bombed and sunk at Barcelona by Nationalist aircraft. |

### 30 December

List of shipwrecks: 30 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Jose Luiz Diez | Spanish Navy | Spanish Civil War: The Churruca-class destroyer was damaged by Vulcano ( Spanish Navy) and run aground near Gibraltar. 7 or 4 crewmen killed, 12 wounded. Refloated the next day, towed to Gibraltar and interned by the British. Returned to Spain post war. |

### 31 December

List of shipwrecks: 31 December 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Rahaf | Palestine | The auxiliary sailing vessel ran aground at Famagusta, Cyprus and was a total loss. |

### Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Aqueity | United Kingdom | The coaster was driven ashore at Nayland Rock, Margate. |
| Thorgaut | Norway | The chaser collided with Thorshammer ( Norway) and sank. |

## Unknown date

List of shipwrecks: Unknown date 1938 :
| Ship | State | Description |
| Campomanes | Spain | Spanish Civil War: The tanker arrived at Valencia during May 1938. She was subsequently bombed and sunk. |
| Chu Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft in the Min River Estuary on 31 May or 1 June 1938. |
| City of Taunton | United States | The 292-foot (89 m) cargo ship, a sidewheel paddle steamer, was beached and abandoned at Somerset, Massachusetts, on the west bank of the Taunton River at 41°42′39″N 071°10′33″W﻿ / ﻿41.71083°N 71.17583°W﻿ / 41.71083; -71.17583﻿ (City of Taunton), just south of the future site of the Charles M. Braga Jr. Memorial Bridge, sometime during the 1930s. The wreck settled on the river bottom in very shallow water. |
| Cora F. Cressy | United States | The 273-foot (83 m), 2,499-gross register ton five-masted schooner was abandoned at Medomac, Maine, during 1938 and grounded. Her hull subsequently served as a breakwater and as of 1982 remained intact. |
| F. C. Pendleton | United States | The 145-foot (44 m), 408-gross register ton three-masted schooner burned and sank without loss of life in up to 45 feet (14 m) of water at 44°19′38″N 068°54′27″W﻿ / ﻿44.32722°N 68.90750°W﻿ / 44.32722; -68.90750﻿ (F. C. Pendleton) while at anchor in Seal Harbor at Islesboro, Maine, sometime during the 1930s. |
| Fu Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft in the Min River Estuary on 31 May or 1 June 1938. |
| Gardner G. Deering | United States | The 251-foot (77 m), 1,982-gross register ton five-masted schooner was abandoned and later burned in Smith Cove off West Brooksville, Maine, sometime during the 1930s. Her wreck settled in 10 to 30 feet (3.0 to 9.1 m) of water approximately 500 feet (150 m) off the north shore of the cove at 44°22′55″N 068°46′30″W﻿ / ﻿44.38194°N 68.77500°W﻿ / 44.38194; -68.77500﻿ (Gardner G. Deering). |
| Hai Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was scuttled in 1937 or 1938. |
| Suh Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft in the Min River Estuary on 31 May or 1 June 1938. |
| Sui Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was scuttled in 1937 or 1938. |
| Tai Ning | Republic of China Navy | Second Sino-Japanese War: The gunboat was scuttled in 1937 or 1938. |