She was built as a shuttle tanker under yard No 1211 by the yard of Cantiere Riuniti Dell’ Adriatico at Monfalcone, Italy for the Lago Shipping Co. Ltd, London.
14 July 1938 launched under the name PEDERNALES, named after a region in Venezuela.
Tonnage 3.945 grt., dim 111.3 x 18.4m., length bpp 108.5m.
Powered by two 6-cyl steam engines, manufactured by N.E. Marine Eng. Co. Ltd., New-Castle-on-Tyne, U.K. ?hp, speed10 knots.
September 1938 completed.
She was used as a shuttle tanker between the Lake Maracaibo and the Lago Refinery at Aruba.
15 February 1942 she lay at anchor in ballast on the road off San Nicolas, Aruba when she was torpedoed during the night by the U-156 under command of Capt. Werner Hartenstein.
After the torpedo hit the vessel in the mid-section, an explosion happened and shattered and ruptured the mid-section. But it was possible to beach the vessel in 14.5 meter of water, before she sank.
Of the crew of 20 men, 8 men were lost.
After examination it was found that the bow and stern section were in good condition, and a salvage operation commenced. After sealing of the bow and stern section, the water was pumped out of this sections, where after the vessel was moved more to the beach. Then the damaged mid-section was carefully dynamited to separate that part form the good stern and bow section.
The separate bow and stern section were towed ashore and placed on a slip, where they were joined together. A wooden navigation bridge was erected, and the machinery overhauled.
30 July 1942 she sailed from Aruba under her own steam for Baltimore.
After arrival she was cut again in two parts and a new mid-section was floated into her repair dock, and the three sections were joined together.
After her repair again in service between Aruba and Venezuela.
1947 Managed by Esso Transportation Co.
1952 Managed by Panama Transport Co.
Later the same year managed by Creole Petroleum Corp., Panama.
1957 Sold to Cia de Petroleo L.ago, Venezuela, renamed ESSO PEDERNALES.
1959 Sold to N.V.Simons Metaalhandel, Netherlands for breaking up, she was renamed KATENDRECHT for her voyage to the breakers.
April 1960 scrapped at the Netherlands.
On the stamp you also can see one of the unexploded torpedoes of the U-156 on the beach of Aruba. When the next day a Dutch torpedo clearing team arrived, they mishandled the torpedo which exploded, killing 4 men and wounding three.
On Aruba 2002 75c sg?, scott?
Source: Sailing Ship to Supertanker by Mitchell and Sawyer. Lloyds War Losses World War II Vol. 1
Register of Merchant Ships completed in 1938. http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz