Ship History
Built by Tampa Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in Tampa, Florida. Laid down as a type C2 cargo ship. Launched July 1940 as MS Sea Witch (Motor Ship Sea Witch). On July 30, 1940 acquired by the U.S. Maritime Commission under commission for the United States Lines.

On August 15, 1940 departed New York on her maiden voyage under the command of Captain Samuel Lee. Sea Witch provided cargo service from New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Hampton Roads and Savannah then overseas service to Manila, Shanghai and Hong Kong. In civilian service, as a neutral vessel a large U.S. flag was painted amidships on both sides of the hull.

Wartime History
On January 26, 1942 requisitioned by by the War Shipping Administration (WSA) at Port Pirie in South Australia for the U.S. Army and continued to be operated by United States Lines and loaded with 27 crated P-40E Warhawks at Fremantle.

On February 22, 1942 departed Fremantle as part of Convoy MS.5 bound for bound for Colombo on Ceylon (Sri Lanka) with USS Langley AV-3, Katoomba and Duntroon, and Willard A. Holbrook escorted by the light cruiser USS Phoenix (CL-46). Enroute, USS Langley AV-3 and Sea Witch break off bound for Tjilatjap on Java. On February 27, 1942 Japanese G4M1 Bettys bomb and sink USS Langley AV-3. On February 28, 1942 Sea Witch arrives Tjilatjap and her cargo of crated aircraft were unloaded then embarks 40 soldiers then departs for Australia.

Sea Witch became one of seven transports initially assigned to the United States Army Forces In Australia (USAFIA) and converted into a troop transport capable of transporting 1,907 personnel.

On September 2, 1942 departs Townsville as part of convoy P2 bound for Fairfax Harbor with Taroona plus convoy Q2 including MV Anshun and s'Jacob escorted by HMAS Swan and HMAS Castlemaine that splits off for Milne Bay.

On December 21, 1942 the ship's charter arrangement was changed to a more general agreement for U.S. Army troop transport and returned to California. On September 21, 1943 departs Port Hueneme, California transporting the U.S. Navy 91st Naval Construction Battalion (91st NCB) "Seabees" acrosss the Pacific via Australia to Milne Bay arriving October 21, 1943 and was unloaded over a five day period.

Postwar
On June 24, 1946 returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission at James River Reserve Fleet. On April 25, 1947 sold to Dichmann, Wright & Pugh, Inc. On May 8, 1947 sold to Caribbean Land & Shipping Corporation at Hoboken, NJ. Later, sold to a Swedish company Rederi AB Pulp and renamed Axel Salen. In 1951 sold and renamed Bastasen and later sold again and renamed Warszawa. Ultimate fate unknown likely scrapped.

References
Officially Motor Ship Sea Witch (MS Sea Witch) while some sources list as SS Sea Witch or Seawitch [sic].
Lloyd's of London - Lloyd's Register of Ships - Sea Witch
Lloyd's of London - Lloyd's Register of Ships - Sea Witch 1940-1941 [PDF]

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Last Updated
October 20, 2022