M/S Tropic Star
Updated Jan. 18-2012

To Tropic Star on the "Ships starting with T" page.


Source: Sverre Johansen's postcard collection.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4

Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.

Voyage Record From Aug.-1940 to Nov.-1945:

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.

Errors may exist, and some voyages are missing.

	Departure	From	To	Arrival	Convoy	Remarks
1940	Aug. 27	Cristobal	Philadelphia	Sept. 5	Independent	A. Hague says: Previously traded Pacific & W Coast America. Missing voyages, Page 1
	Sept. 10	Philadelphia	New York City	Sept. 10	Independent	–
	Sept. 19	New York City	Halifax	Sept. 23	Independent	–
	Oct. 1	Halifax	Capetown	Nov. 5	Independent	–
	Nov. 20	Capetown	Durban	Dec. 5	Independent	A. Hague says: Under repair at Durban to mid Febr.-1942.
1942	Febr. 12	Durban	Beira	Febr. 16	Independent	–
	Febr. 20	Beira	Lourenço Marques	Febr. 23	Independent	–
	Febr. 25	Lourenço Marques	East London	Febr. 28	Independent	–
	March 1	East London	Port Elizabeth	March 2	Independent	–
	March 4	Port Elizabeth	Capetown	March 7	Independent	–
	March 8	Capetown	Ascension	March 22	Independent	–
	March 22	Ascension	Trinidad	Apr. 10	Independent	–
	Apr. 12	Trinidad	Boston	Apr. 25	Independent	See also narrative below
	Apr. 27	Boston	New York City	Apr. 29	Independent	–
	July 1	New York City	Hampton Roads	–	Independent	–
	July 8	Hampton Roads	Charleston, SC	July 14	KS 518	Convoy available at KS convoys (external link)
	July 15	Charleston, SC	Jacksonville	July 16	Independent	–
	July 17	Jacksonville	Port Everglades	July 18	Independent	–
	July 27	Port Everglades	Key West	July 27	Independent	–
	Aug. 1	Key West	–	–	WAT 11	Detached Aug. 11. Convoy available at WAT convoys (external link)
	Aug. 11	Detached from WAT 11	St Thomas	Aug. 15	Independent	–
	Aug. 18	St Thomas	St Thomas	Aug. 19	Independent	Page 1 says: "Presumed put back".
	Aug. 29	St Thomas	Caripito	Sept. 4	Independent	–
	Sept. 14	Caripito	Trinidad	Sept. 14	Independent	–
	Sept. 20	Trinidad	Demerara	Sept. 22	Independent	–
	Oct. 6	Demerara	Trinidad	Oct. 8	Independent	–
	Oct. 17	Trinidad	Gitmo	Oct. 22	TAG 14	Convoy available at TAG convoys (external link)
	Oct. 23	Gitmo	New York City	Oct. 30	GN 14	Convoy available at GN convoys (external link)
	Dec. 4	New York City	Halifax	Dec. 8	SC 112	Returned. Convoy will be added. See ships in SC convoys
	Dec. 24	Halifax	Belfast Lough	Jan. 7-1943	HX 220	See also narrative below
1943	Jan. 8	Belfast Lough	Holyhead	Jan. 8	Independent	See also Page 2
	Jan. 9	Holyhead	Cardiff	Jan. 11	–	–
	Febr. 8	Cardiff	Milford Haven	Febr. 9	Independent	–
	Febr. 10	Milford Haven	Halifax	March 2	ON 166	Via Belfast Lough (Page 2)
	Apr. 4	Halifax	Cape Cod Canal	Apr. 7	XB 42	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Apr. 7	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Apr. 7	Independent	–
	May 29	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	–
	June 1	Boston	Halifax	June 3	BX 55	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
	June 5	Halifax	Liverpool	June 19	SC 133	Missing movements, Page 2
	July 3	Liverpool	–	–	ONS 12	For NYC. Convoy will be added. See ships in ONS convoys
	July 18	From ONS 12	Cape Cod Canal	July 20	XB 64	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	July 20	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	July 21	Independent	See also narrative below
	Aug. 18	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	Page 2 gives arrival Aug. 20.
	Aug. 24	Boston	Halifax	Aug. 26	BX 70	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
	Sept. 3	Halifax	Milford Haven	Sept. 17	SC 141	–
	Sept. 18	Milford Haven	Southampton	Sept. 20	WP SP 1	Convoy available at WP convoys (external link) Left Southampton Oct. 3 (Page 2).
	Oct. 7	Solent	Milford Haven	Oct. 9	PW 411	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Oct. 9	Milford Haven	–	–	ONS 20	For NYC. Convoy will be added. See ships in ONS convoys
	Oct. 26	From ONS 20	Cape Cod Canal	Oct. 29	XB 80	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Oct. 29	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Oct. 29	Independent	–
	Nov. 26	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	–
	Nov. 28	Boston	Halifax	Dec. 1	BX 85	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
	Dec. 2	Halifax	Barry	Dec. 17	SC 148	–
	Dec. 27	Barry	Milford Haven	Dec. 28	Independent	–
	Dec. 28	Milford Haven	–	–	ONS 26	For NYC. Convoy will be added. See ships in ONS convoys
1944	Jan. 18	From ONS 26	Cape Cod Canal	Jan. 20	XB 92	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Jan. 20	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Jan. 22	Independent	–
	Febr. 10	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	–
	Febr. 18	Boston	Halifax	Febr. 20	BX 96	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
	Febr. 28	Halifax	Liverpool	March 15	SC 154	–
	March 28	Liverpool	–	–	ONS 32	For NYC. Convoy will be added. See ships in ONS convoys
	Apr. 17	From ONS 32	Cape Cod Canal	Apr. 19	XB 104	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Apr. 19	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Apr. 20	Independent	–
	Apr. 26	New York City	–	–	NG 431	Detached May 2. Convoy available at NG convoys (external link)
	May 2	Detached from NG 431	Cienfuegos	May 4	Independent	Via Guantanamo Bay May 2 (Page 3).
	May 8	Cienfuegos	Key West	May 12	GK 805	A. Hague says: Joined off Gitmo May 9. Convoy available at GK convoys (external link)
	May 13	Key West	New York City	May 18	KN 313	Convoy available at KN convoys (external link)
	May 26	New York City	Gitmo	June 2	NG 437	Convoy available at NG convoys (external link)
	June 2	Gitmo	Santa Maria, Cuba	June 4	Independent	–
	June 9	Nuevitas	Key West	June 12	Independent	–
	June 12	Key West	Philadelphia	June 16	KN 319	Convoy available at KN convoys (external link)
	June 26	Philadelphia	New York City	June 26	Independent	–
	July 5	New York City	Gitmo	July 12	NG 445	Convoy available at NG convoys (external link)
	July 12	Gitmo	Guaira	July 17	GAT 147	Gitmo to La Guaira. Convoy available at GAT convoys (external link)
	July 20	Guaira	Puerto la Cruz	July 21	Independent	–
	July 30	Puerto la Cruz	Caripito	July 31	Independent	–
	Aug. 3	Caripito	Trinidad	Aug. 4	Independent	–
	Aug. 6	Trinidad	Gitmo	Aug. 11	TAG 150	Convoy available at TAG convoys (external link)
	Aug. 11	Gitmo	Jucaro	Aug. 12	Independent	–
	Aug. 19	Jucaro	Key West	Aug. 22	Independent	–
	Aug. 22	Key West	Philadelphia	Aug. 27	KN 333	Convoy available at KN convoys (external link)
	Sept. 27	Philadelphia	Boston	–	Independent	Page 3 gives arrival Sept. 28.
	Sept. 29	Boston	Halifax	Oct. 1	BX 127	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
	Oct. 4	Halifax	Liverpool	Oct. 21	SC 158	–
	Nov. 13	Liverpool	–	–	ONS 36	For NYC. Convoy will be added. See ships in ONS convoys
	Dec. 2	From ONS 36	Cape Cod Canal	Dec. 4	XB 136	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Dec. 4	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Dec. 4	Independent	–
	Dec. 21	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	Page 3 gives arrival Dec. 22.
	Dec. 28	Boston	Halifax	Dec. 30	BX 139	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
1945	Jan. 1	Halifax	Mumbles	Jan. 18	SC 164	–
	Jan. 18	Milford Haven	St. Helens Roads	Jan. 20	BTC 42	Convoy available at BTC convoys (external link)
	Jan. 20	St. Helens Roads	Seine Esturay	Jan. 21	WVC 43	Convoy available via this page (external link) Left Seine Estuary Febr. 20 (Page 3).
*	Febr. 20	Joined from WVC 73	Milford Haven*	Febr. 23	TBC 75	A. Hague says: Joined at sea Febr. 21. Not as shown. See also Page 3. Convoy available at TBC convoys (external link)
*	Febr. 21	Seine Estuary	–	–	VWC 73	A. Hague says: Joined TBC 76 at sea Febr. 21 (available at link above, does he mean TBC 75?). VWC 73 available via this page (external link)
	*The above is a little confusing (see also Page 3). I believe the 1st entry belongs underneath the 2nd entry(?). Convoy TBC 75 did arrive Milford Haven on Febr. 23; Tropic Star anchored off Mumbles that day, leaving that same day for Cardiff.
	Febr. 25	Cardiff	Belfast Lough	Febr. 27	MH 35/2	Had arrived Cardiff Febr. 23 (Page 4). Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Febr. 28	Belfast Lough	–	–	ONS 43	For NYC. Convoy will be added. See ships in ONS convoys
	March 14	From ONS 43	Cape Cod Canal	March 15	XB 151	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	March 15	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	March 18	Independent	–
	Apr. 6	New York City	Gitmo	Apr. 13	NG 500	Convoy available at NG convoys (external link)
	Apr. 13	Gitmo	Trinidad	Apr. 19	GAT 202	Convoy available at GAT convoys (external link)
	Apr. 23	Trinidad	Gitmo	Apr. 28	TAG 202	Convoy available at TAG convoys (external link)
	Apr. 28	Gitmo	–	–	GN 202	Detached May 5. Convoy available at GN convoys (external link)
	May 5	Detached from GN 202	Sandwich	–	Independent	–
	May 7	Sandwich	Portland, Maine	May 8	Independent	–
	May 18	Portland, Maine	New York City	May 20	Independent	–
	June 16	New York City	Trinidad	June 26	Independent	–
	June 28	Trinidad	Rio	July 16	Independent	–
	July 29	Rio	Santos	July 30	Independent	–
	Aug. 26	Santos	New York City	Sept. 20	Independent	–
	Oct. 27	New York City	Baltimore	–	Independent	Page 4 gives arrival Oct. 28.
	Oct. 30	Baltimore	Oslo	Nov. 16	Independent	Subsequent voyages: Page 4 above

Notes:

According to Page 1 of the archive documents, Tropic Star was in Durban all through 1941. She had arrived there from Table Bay on Dec. 5-1940, and did not leave again until Febr. 12-1942. A. Hague says she was undergoing repairs.

A Rescue & A Close Call - 1942:

Tropic Star was on a voyage to Boston when a lifeboat under sail was spotted on Apr. 22-1942, 36 20N 66 20W. It turned out to be from the American S/S Pipestone County, which had been torpedoed the day before. The 10 occupants informed them that there should be another lifeboat not too far away, so Tropic Star changed course and found another 13 men. Both boats were taken on board, ready to launch again in case something should happen. On Apr. 24 a periscope was spotted by the lookout (40 50N 68 42W), and now the rescued American seamen came in very useful, in that 5 of them were gunners (Tropic Star did not have trained gunners at the time, though some of the crew had been instructed in the use of the armament). While they fired on this intruder*, which quickly submerged, the coast guard was notified, an aircraft was sent out for escort and Tropic Star reached Boston unharmed the following day. From Page 1, we learn that she had started out in Trinidad on Apr. 12. From Boston, she proceeded to New York a couple of days later, with arrival Apr. 29, and it now looks like she spent 2 months there - departure is given as July 1. Convoy info for some of her subsequent voyages is available in the table above - see also Page 2.

*J. Rowher names the U-boat as U-576 (Heinicke), adding in a footnote that the U-boat heard the torpedo hit but it was a dud and did not detonate, and Tropic Star was not damaged. This U-boat was also responsible for the loss of Pipestone County - follow the link provided below for more on this attack. U-576 also sank Taborfjell just a few days later. The U-boat was sunk with all hands in July that same year.

Related external links:
The attack on Pipestone County

U-576

Some Cconvoy Voyages – 1942-1945:

For information on voyages made prior to and in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for more information; the Commodore's notes are also available for some of them, and several Norwegian ships took part.

It'll be noticed, when going to Page 2, that Tropic Star spent quite a long time in New York, where she had arrived from Trinidad on Oct. 30-1942 (convoy info in Voyage Record). Departure is given as Dec. 4, when she (according to Arnold Hague) joined in Convoy SC 112*, which also included Acasta, Aragon (for St. John's, N.F. only), Borgholm, Dageid, Fjordheim, Garnes (also for St. John's), Harpefjell, Heimgar, Norjerv, Primo (for Halifax), Sir James Clark Ross and Solitaire (several of which joined from Halifax). Tropic Star, however, returned to port, arriving Halifax on Dec. 8. She was scheduled for the Halifax portion of Convoy HX 219 on Dec. 15, but instead joined the Halifax section of the next convoy, HX 220, general cargo for Belfast Dock and Cardiff. She became a straggler on Dec. 28; the Commodore says "evidently had to stop for short while during night and did not get alteration of route". She arrived Belfast Lough on Jan. 7-1943, later arriving Cardiff on Jan. 11, remaining there for almost a month.

In Febr.-1943, we find her in station 61 of the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 166, in which several ships were sunk, including the Norwegian Stigstad, Ingria, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso and Glittre - follow the links for more details (other Norwegian ships listed in this convoy are Molda, Skandinavia, Tai Shan and Brasil). ON 166 arrived New York on March 3; Tropic Star arrived Halifax March 1 and again had a long stay in port, before proceeding to New York on Apr. 4, remaining there for several weeks as well (Page 2). On June 5, she headed back to the U.K. again in Convoy SC 133 from Halifax, later returning with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 12*. Fana, Garnes, Gausdal, Hjalmar Wessel, Iron Baron, Mui Hock, Norvarg, Para (collided, returned), Petter II and Suderøy are also listed in this convoy, which left Liverpool on July 3 and arrived Halifax July 18; Tropic Star, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived July 21, again remaining for almost a month. She was scheduled to return with Convoy HX 252 on Aug. 14, but did not sail (Santos was lost - follow links for details) and was also cancelled from the next convoy on Aug. 20, HX 253. Going back to the archive document, we see that she had left New York for Boston on Aug. 18, later continuing to Halifax, joining the slow Convoy SC 141 from there on Sept. 3. She arrived Milford Haven on Sept. 17, proceeding to Southampton the next day, with arrival Sept. 20.

Together with Arosa, Bestik, Cetus, Elg, Iron Baron, Snar, Solstad, Tercero and Vinland, she returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ONS 20*, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 9 and arrived Halifax Oct. 26; Tropic Star was again bound for New York, arriving there on Oct. 29, having started out from Milford Haven on the 9th. Having remained in New York for about a month (Page 2), she went to Boston again, and from there to Halifax, joining Convoy SC 148 on Dec. 2, serving as Rear Commodore (Vice Commodore was the captain of Norhauk, which was sunk shortly thereafter). Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts - see SC convoy escorts. Tropic Star arrived Barry on Dec. 17, and at the end of that month she joined Convoy ONS 26*, together with Elise, Gudvor and Romulus. The convoy originated in Liverpool on Dec. 29 and arrived Halifax Jan. 18-1944; Tropic Star arrived New York Jan. 22, having sailed from Milford Haven on Dec. 28 - her voyages in this period are listed on Page 3, which shows that she subsequently spent almost 3 weeks in New York.

On Febr. 28-1944, we find her in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 154, general cargo for Liverpool, where she arrived March 15, returning in Convoy ONS 32*, which also had Alaska, Chr. Th. Boe, Fjordheim, Minerva, Ragnhild, Stirlingville and Tungsha in its ranks. The convoy left Liverpool on March 28 and arrived Halifax Apr. 18; Tropic Star arrived New York Apr. 20. Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 3 - convoy information for some of these can be found in the Voyage Record. As can be seen, she had a long stay in Philadelphia in the fall of 1944, before heading to Halifax (via Boston) on Sept. 27 and on Oct. 4, I have her in Convoy SC 158 from there, general cargo for Liverpool, where she stayed for about 3 weeks. With Evanger, Geisha (Commodore Vessel), Grey County, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Marie Bakke, Minerva, Snar, Sommerstad, Velox, Veni and Vinga, she subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ONS 36*, which left Liverpool on Nov. 13 and arrived Halifax Dec. 3 - Tropic Star arrived New York Dec. 4.

At the very beginning of Jan.-1945, she can be found in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 164. Going back to Page 3, we see that she appears to have spent a month at Seine Estuary. She's later listed in Convoy ONS 43*. Ima and Nordanger are also named in this convoy, which departed Liverpool on Febr. 27 and arrived Halifax March 16 - Tropic Star arrived New York March 18, having sailed from Belfast Lough on Febr. 28. Her subsequent voyages are listed on Page 4, which also shows occasional long stays in port (convoy info in the table above). From this document, we also learn that she went home to Norway in Nov.-1945, and it looks like she headed home again in Jan.-1946.

* The ONS convoys will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named on the page listing ships in all ONS convoys. The entire SC series will also be updated and completed (including the already existing convoys - some have already been updated), but for now, please see ships in all SC convoys.

More info on the other Norwegian ships mentioned here is available via the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

POST WAR:

Sold in 1947 to rederi A/B Atlanta, Helsinki, and renamed Anja. In 1952 owner's name changed to Finland-Sydamerika Linjen A/B. Sold in 1961 for breaking up at Valencia, Spain. (R. W. Jordan). Compare with the info found on this external page.

Back to Tropic Star on the "Ships starting with T" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. as named within the narrative above - (ref. My sources).