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Ceiba

The Sinking of the Ceiba

On March 17, 1942, at 2:26 A.M. the unescorted Ceiba was hit underneath the bridge by a torpedo fired from German U-boat U-124. It sank with a heavy list to port. Six men in a raft were picked up two days later by USS Hambleton. Among the dead were the wives and children of some crew members. At the time the Ceiba was carrying bananas from Honduras.

The Ship's Specifics:

Built:  April 1911Sunk: March 17, 1942
Type of Vessel: Steam MerchantOwner: Seaboard SS Co. (Standard Fruit &SS Co.), New Orleans, LA
Builder: Swan, Hunter, & Wigham Richardson Ltd. Power: 
Port of registry: HondurasDimensions:

Location of the Sinking:

Here is the location of the sinking: 35° 43’N, 73° 49’W

Lost Crew & Passenger Members:

Total Lost: 44, Survivors: 6

LastFirstDate of DeathPositionHomeAge
ArmstrongDanielMarch 17, 1942Crew Member 52
BerylHenry HerbertMarch 17, 1942Chief StewardNew Orleans, LA41
BosquezEmilioMarch 17, 1942Assistant Steward 22
CahillHarry LloydMarch 17, 1942Passenger (Plantation Manager)Americus, KS56
ChingSwan WeeMarch 17, 1942Chief Cook 41
DancyFredMarch 17, 1942Crew Member 24
DelaetLouisMarch 17, 1942Fireman 50
DeMoriFrankMarch 17, 1942Second MateCapadistria, Italy50
ErvesvågJohannesMarch 17, 1942Able SeamanSveio, Norway21
EvertsenAleksanderMarch 17, 1942Able SeamanVega, Norway26
GrinyerThomas WilliamMarch 17, 1942Assistant StewardNew Orleans, LA71
HamedAhmed MohamedMarch 17, 1942Fireman 48
HauglandTrygve WaldemarMarch 17, 1942Able SeamanBergen, Hordaland35
HillJamesMarch 17, 1942Crew Member 21
HunterStephenMarch 17, 1942Oiler 30
IonescuCarolMarch 17, 1942Crew Member 28
KirkhusJohannesMarch 17, 1942CarpenterHatlestrand, Kvinnherad32
KlavenessWilliamMarch 17, 1942MasterNew Orleans, LA54
KristiansenBirger EmilMarch 17, 1942TrimmerHolmestrand43
LagerfeldtThorleif RagnarMarch 17, 1942Second Assistant EngineerOslo40
MannFrancis OsbornMarch 17, 1942Chief EngineerBelfast, Northern Ireland52
MartinezJoseMarch 17, 1942Crew Member 21
MikkelsenRobertMarch 17, 1942Oiler 27
OlafAnsgar LundgrenMarch 17, 1942OilerSolum32
OlsenOleMarch 17, 1942Able SeamanVikedal24
PedersonJonasMarch 17, 1942First MateUndheim, Rogaland51
PettersenKnut SørbyMarch 17, 1942Able SeamanSem28
PhillipsHerbertMarch 17, 1942Crew Member 42
PriceRobertMarch 17, 1942Assistant Steward 50
PrietoJuan AmadoMarch 17, 1942Oiler 26
SanchezJoseMarch 17, 1942Refrigerator Greaser 57

Surviving Crew Members:

A listing of the surviving crew members.

LastFirstPositionDOBHomeAge
HalliburtonVincent AlexanderSecond Cook1907New York, NY35
LudvigsenHans AndreasBoatswainSep. 25, 1895Beren, Hordaland, Norway46
MelendezJosé AgustínThird Cook1920San Juan22
OrtizAlfredoWatchman1918New York, NY24
O’BrienTimothy CharlesThird MateJuly 21, 1899Pilot Town, LA42
SaavedraRubenAble SeamanAug. 8, 1914Santa Rosa de Copán27