Italian merchant ship Monte Bianco underway from South American towards Italy according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 5 August 1917

An item reported the merchant ship Monte Bianco, loaded with skins, Italy-flagged, tonnage 6,968 tons, date departure 2 July from South America and bound for Italy. Former Austrian Nimrod.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

Argentinean merchant ship Nequem underway from South America towards Italy according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 5 August 1917

An item reported the merchant ship Nequem, loaded with grain, Argentina-flagged, tonnage 2,119 tons, date of departure 3 July, coming from South America and bound for Italy.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

German blockaderunner ms Erlangen in 1941

In a letter dated 13 April 1942 No. 1329 to the O.K.M./1 Abteilung Skl. was the so-called ‘Etappen’-organisation of the navy described. In the attachment were the blockade runners decribed used for this purpose. Ms Erlangen. To return home with a Sudamerican cargo. Left Mar del Plata, Argentina on 23 July 1941. Scuttled to prevent capture by a British cruiser on the Atlantic in begin August 1941 by own screw.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM 7/223

Italian merchant ship Febo underway towards Italy according to the Kriegsnachrichten of the Chef des Admiralstabes der Marine dated Berlin 5 August 1917

An item reported the merchant ship Febo loaded with grain, Italy-flagged, tonnage 2,843 tons, date departure 2 July from South America and bound for Italy.

Source

Bundesarchiv RM-40-622

US Navy wanted to control USA-South America shipping according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 6 January 1942

An item reported that the US Navy was planning to take control of all the United States shipping to and from harbours in South America.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 27 dated 6 January 1942 

American cargo ship ss (ex-Alcoa Partner 1942-1943, Auriga 1943-1946) Alcoa Partner 1946-1970

Call sign KKVW, offical No. 242914. C1-B type. Laid down by Consolidated Steel Corp. Ltd., Wilmington, USA on 9 June 1942, launched on 7 September 1942, delivered on 13 March 1942, acquired by the US Navy on 16 March 1943, converted for naval service and commissioned as USS Auriga (AK-98) on 1 April 1943, decommissioned on 22 January 1946, stricken on 7 February 1946, delivered to Alcoa S.S. Co. on 22 January 1946 and renamed Alcoa Partner, returned to the Maritime Commission on 1 November 1963 and laid up, transferred to the US Army for stevedore training on 17 June 1966, returned on 2 October 1968 and sold to be broken up in Spain on 27 May 1970. Owner Alcoa SS Co.Inc., New York, USA, used for transporting bauxite and general stores between North and South American and Caribbean ports. Gross tonnage 6,711 tons, net tonnage 3,931 tons and as dimensions 396.5 x 60.1 x 25.8 feet according to Lloyds 1947-1948, other sources one steam turbine with 2 boilers, cargo capacity 6,650 tons deadweight, displacement 12,875 tons and dimensions 416 x 60 x 27.6 feet. Crew numbered 49-52 men. Two steam turbines geared to one shaft, speed 14.55 knots. 

Dutch sailing vessel (ex-Pol II 1926-1948, Lister 1948-1966) Artemis 1966-

Schelde off Vlissingen, Netherlands 20 October 2012

Netherlands-flagged, IMO 5209699, MMSI 244875000 and call sign PCFB. Gross tonnage 321 tons, summer deadweight 457 tons and as dimensions 59 x 7,01 x 3,49 metres. Sail area 1.050 square metres. Speed 7 (engine)-9 (sail) knots. One 550hp caterpillar with bow thruster Built in 1926 at the Nylands Verksted, Oslo, Norway for whale fishery in the Arctic and Antartic. In the 50’s of the 20th century converted into a cargo ship operated between Asia and South-America. In 2001 bought by the Bruinsma brothers and rebuilt. 

US cabinet required the passenger ships Rio Hudson, Rio Parana, Rio de la Plata and Rio de Janeiro according to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Haarlemsche courant dated 23 May 1941

An item reported that the US cabinet required the passenger ships Rio Hudson, Rio Parana, Rio de la Plata and Rio de Janeiro under construction for shipping company McCormick and after conversion to be used by the US Navy. The ships were originally to be used on the line USA-East coast of South America. Earlier required the US Navy six new cargo ships of the same company. 

Belgian shipping company Deppe purchased several Victory ships according to the Dutch newspaper De Nederlandsche transportcourant dated 24 January 1947

An item referred to a statement of the Belgian shipping company Deppe that she added the Victory ships Pototoc Victory, Woodbridge Victory, Kingston Victory and Waycross Victory to her fleet. The ships were to be modernized and to be used for a regular line to South America.

Japanese passenger/cargo ship Montevideo Maru 1925-1942

Laid down by Mitsubishi Zosen Kakoki Kaisha, Nagasaki, Japan on 9 September 1925, launched on 15 April 1926, completed on 14 August 1926 and torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine USS Sturgeon (SS-187) underway from Rabaul, Papua New Guinea towards Hainan, China with 1,054 military and civilian prisioners ending in Australia’s worst maritime disaster. Originally built for Osaka Shosen Kaisha (OSK) serving on their service to South America and mainly involved in transporting Japanese immigrants to Brazil. With the support of the Dutch company Fugro was the wreck discovered in April 2023 on a depth of 4 kilometres off the coast of the Philippines.

Call sign JIAB. Gross tonnage 7,267 tons, under deck 6,088 tons, net tonnage 4,378 tons and as dimensions 430.0 (between perpendiculars)-449.1 (over all) x 56.0 x 36.0 x 11.3 (ligt)-25 (loaded) feet. Oil fuel bunker capacity 2,087 tons included deep tanks. Speed 14 (cruising)-16,4 (maximum) knots. Propulsion consisted of 2, 2300hp Mitusbishi-Sulzer diesel engines.

Locations of enemy submarines in the Western Atlantic Ocean according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 11 August 1942

An item reported that by 10 August there seemed to be around 48 enemy submarines present in the western part of the Atlantic ocean from the longitude of the Azores westward: 18 on passage 16 east- and 2 westbound positioned:

-latitude of Southern England 7 northward included 1 on passage to the west

-latitudes between Southern England and New York, USA 14 of which 5 on passage, 4 east- and 1 westbound)

-latitudes between New York and Jacksonville, Florida, USA 8 of which 6 on passaga to the east

-latitudes between Jacksonville, Florida, USA and Southern Cuba 7 of which 4 on passage to the east

-latitudes between Southern Cuba and the Canal Zone 8 of which 2 on passage to the east

-latitudes south of the Canal Zone 4

Main numbers were in the northern-Trans-Atlantic shipping routes and to the east and southeastward of Trinidad, the latter presumably for intercepting ships coming or going from South America and South Africa. The J.I.C. commented that the fact that were more submarines going to the east and not to the west had an important meaning. Except for above mentioned 48 submarines there seemed to be another one about 900 miles west of Freetown and a second one 150 miles southwest of Ascension Island. The J.I.C. commented that this second submarine was well to the southward of areas where in the past submarines were active.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 244 dated 11 August 1942.

Activities of enemy submarines on the Atlantic Ocean and in the Caribbean according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 16 August 1942

An item reported that on 15 August 58 enemy submarines were to be active in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean longitude of the Azores westward: north of the latitude of the Scilly Islands on the eastern part 7, between the latitudes of these islands and New York, USA 20, mostly in the eastern part of which 7 on passage east- and 7 westbound, between the latitudes of New York, USA and Jacksonville (Florida), USA 9 including 5 on passage east- and 3 westbound, between the latitudes of Jacksonville (Florida), USA and Guantonamo, Cuba and the Canal Zone 10 all eastward of Guantanamo including 2 on passage westbound, in the latitudes south of the Canal Zone 4. Most of the enemy submarines were actidve in the ares of the northern Trans-Atlantic shipping and on the shipping between Key West-Trinidad an West Indies-South America and South Africa. The J.I.C. commented that although the number of 58 submarines was the largest ever, she expected a continual increase.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 249 dated 16 August 1942.

Argentina protested against the Axis attacking South American ships according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 19 March 1942

An item referred to reliable sources reporting that the Minister of War of Argentine objected against the government policy of his country towards the Axis and stated that destroying South American ships would make it very possible to maintain the status quo.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 99 dated 19 March 1942

Japan trying to obtain Chilean copper according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 17 March 1942

An item referred to rumors reporting that escorted Japanese merchant ships would arrive at Chile between 15-17 May possible to obtain Chilean copper. The J.I.C. commented that already in the past Japanese propaganda suggested efforts to obtain South American materials. While Japan lacked shipping capacity that moment such venture could not be real.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 97 dated 17 March 1942.

Former commercial German and Italian pilots trained for flying bombers according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 11 March 1942

An item referred to a reliable British source reporting that German and Italian pilots which were earlier in commercial service on flights in South America and on the trans-Atlantic route were now trained to fly 150 bombers stationed in western France. It was believed that these bombers were to be used for attack the shipping from and to West African harbours and South American keypoints. The J.I.C. commented that these pilots were such valuable due to their knowledge of the West Africa-Natal route and areas and South American out-of-the-way places.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 91 dated 11 March 1942.

The privateers of the Independents and the Havana convoy towards Cadiz according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 29 July 1818

Madrid, 9 June. The fights between the privateers of the Independents and the convoy from Havana as reported 20 July was near Cape San Mara. Although the privateers retreated they still pursued the convoy until the frigate Diana coming from Cadiz approached forcing the privateers to disappear. Of the corvette Diamant was one man killed while the second captain of the brig le Vengeur was wounded due to a musket shot.

Note
1. See on this weblog the note “The privateers of the Independents and the Havanna convoy towards Cadiz According to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 20 July 1818.”

Uruguay decided American merchant ships to be not warring according to the Dutch newspaper Rotterdamsch nieuwsblad dated 23 June 1917

An item reported that according to tidings received from Montevideo the Uruguayan cabinet decided to consider the ships belonging to the American countries to be not warring.

Japanese ships underway towards South America according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 18 May 1942

An item referred to unconfirmed reports stating that some Japanese ships left Japan with as destination South America.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 159 dated 18 May 1942

South American Independents captured Spanish warships according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 8 September 1818

London, 4 September. According to newspapers dated until 25 July which were received yesterday from Jamaica captured admiral Brion two or three Spanish warships while the privateers continuously harassed the area.

American whaler Brooklyn of New London, USA sold according to the Whalemen’s Shipping List dated 28 June 1859

An item reported the sale on an auction on the 20th for 3.700 US dollars of the ship Brooklyn of New London, USA to captain L.L. Butler of New London to be used in the South American trade.