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| U.S. Army Cargo 1,616 Tons 287' x 37' x 18'  Krupp 1936  De La Rama 1939  Tony Gridley 2022  Tony Gridley 2024 |
Ship History Built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft A.G., Kiel, Germany with yard number 560. Laid down as a diesel motor ship with two eight cylinder diesel engines for De La Rama Steamship Company. Launched August 15, 1936 as Don Esteban and steamed to the Philippines. Owned by De La Rama Steamship Company and registered in Iloilo. Don Esteban provided passenger and freight service between Manila, Iloilo and Cebu and was advertised as the most modernly equipped ship plying in Philippine waters. The ship was overall white with a crest at the bow. At the start of World War II, a large U.S. flag was painted amidship to indicate neutrality. During September 15-16, 1941 underwent a survey for repairs in Hong Kong and was found to be in good order. Wartime History On October 25, 1941 placed under bare boat charter by the U.S. Army and became United States Army Transport USAT Don Esteban. On October 30, 1941 one of twenty-five vessels placed into service to support defense efforts. Don Esteban embarked fuel and bombs bound for Rabaul and Port Moresby. On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War, Don Esteban was at sea returning to Manila and arrived two days later. On December 13, 1941 departs Manila loaded with bombs from USS Canopus (AS-9) bound for Mindanao. Returning, stopped at Iloilo to deliver small arms and ammunition. On December 21, 1941 returns to Manila then got underway to evade Japanese planes then returns. On December 24, 1941 embarks General Douglas MacArthur and his family and senior staff and transports them from Manila to Corregidor arriving at 9:30pm. Afterwards, transports medical personnel, patients and supplies to Bataan. On February 19, 1942 departs Corregidor with Philippine officials embarked including Vice President Sergio Osmeña to transport them to safety. After making contact with a submarine the ship went to Iloilo where the President briefly boarded until daylight. Afterwards, Don Esteban departs for Cebu. On February 24, 1942 loaded with food stuffs, filling the entire cargo hold. On deck, five gallon containers of high octane gasoline were placed in the open. On February 27, 1942 departs Cebu bound for Corregidor steaming only at night and anchoring during daylight hours. Sinking History On March 1, 1942 at 6:30am anchored in Paluan Bay on the northwest of Mindoro. At roughly 8:30am two enemy planes approached from the west at 200' and dropped three bombs each and scored a near miss. They circled and made six strafing runs that punctured the fuel cans on deck and caused gasoline fumes to enter the ship. During the attack the third officer Amador Hernandez was wounded by a bullet in the hip. At 9:15am the pair of planes departed and due to the gasoline fumes and the crew abandoned ship. At 2:45pm two enemy planes returned and strafed, with a bullet igniting fuels and starting fires. Within a few minutes the entire ship was on fire. At about 3:30pm, a Japanese cruiser and destroyer arrived and fired a salvo at the ship aimed at the engine room but did not cause her to sink then anchored roughly two miles away at the other end of Paluan Bay. After dark, 76D3 trainer piloted by Dave Obert flew a night reconnaissance mission bound for Mindoro and spotted a fiercely burning ship in Paloan Bay. On March 2, 1942 in the late morning, the burning ship was overflown by P-40E Warhawk pilot Joe Moore who observed a fire near the stern. Later that day, Don Esteban sank into Paluan Bay off Mindoro. The precise time of the sinking is unknown, but presumably sometime after midday. Fates of the Crew On March 1, 1942 around 9:15am, Captain Afable ordered the crew to abandon ship due to the gasoline fumes. His life raft sank 100 yards from the ship due to bullet holes. The crew of six Americans and fifty-five Filipinos assembled ashore. On March 3, 1942 the rest of the crew departed bound Cebu traveling at night and hiding during the day by foot, horseback and and boat as the Japanese had already arrived on Mindoro. Due to his wounds, third officer Amador Hernandez was left on Mindoro for medical treatment. When they reached San Jose, the Japanese had already arrived and the same cruiser and destroyer were anchored offshore. At San Jose, they chartered a sail boat to Panay then proceeded to Capiz and onward to Cebu. On March 12, 1942 the crew arrived at Cebu and were paid off and discharged. Shipwreck The Don Esteban rest on the sea floor at a depth of 110' / 30-33m in Paluan Bay off Mindoro. The shipwreck is badly damaged by fire. On February 14, 2015 Tony Gridley found the shipwreck using side scan sonar. On February 22, 2016 he first SCUBA dived the shipwreck and since has made extensive dives in the subsequent years. Tony Gridley adds: " Well, it was a lovely day this Valentines Day [2015], sea so smooth. Wife thought we were taking the little search boat out for a romantic lunch on a beach somewhere, sometimes they really don't understand men. I went out searching for ships and that's when I had my first side scan paint of a ship, I didn't know what it was so I named it "Valentines Shipwreck" which you may see it listed as such on some of my information. I first dived the wreck on the 22 February 2016. I dive solo and any whitecaps I don't go so its hard to find a good day. I had no idea what it was and neither did anybody else, I have put in many hours/days researching and the best I could do was Don Esteban even though there is nothing concrete. I ordered plans from Krupp and I did know from records that the Don sunk in the area and also many other areas. By using the ships plans and imagination I could identify some heavily damaged parts of the ship, Some ceramic tiles I bought up were made in Germany, so I'm 99.9% convinced its the Don but nothing with a name on it, yet. The main identifiers I am using is the position of the cargo hold, the lifeboat arms are the same as the Don, location of an oven in the galley area from the plans, German tiles and with imagination some of the vents and bollards matching the drawings." References Injured crew member Junior 3rd Officer Amador Hernandez is listed as 4th officer in some sources. Steel Steamer or Motorship Don Esteban, 24 December 1936 Don Esteban : Lloyd's Register of Ships Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Don Esteban 1937-38 [PDF] Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Don Esteban 1938-39 [PDF] Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Don Esteban 1939-40 [PDF] Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Don Esteban 1940-41 [PDF] Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Don Esteban 1941-42 [PDF] Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Don Esteban 1942-43 [PDF] Lloyds of London - Lloyd's Register - Don Esteban 1944-45 [PDF] Report of Survey For Repairs September 15-16, 1941 Hong Kong NARA Extract from affidavit of W. Judson Wilson about events February 18, 1942–March 12, 1942 NavSource - USAT Don Esteban Doomed At The Start (1995) by William H. Bartsch pages 325, 326, 328, 461 (footnote 7), 491 (index) (Page 326) Obert reported to Ed Dyess and General George that he had seen a burning ship in Paluan Bay. He was told that it was probably a blockade runner, trying to bring food and supplies to Bataan. The next morning, General George's operations center at Bataan Field received a telephone call from the air officer on Corregidor. MacArthur's chief of staff wanted an immediate reconnaissance to determine the location and condition of steamship Don Esteban. A radio report had been received by USAFFE headquarters that the ship, headed for Corregidor with anxiously awaited food and medicine, had been attacked by Japanese off Paluan Bay... 'That must be the ship that Obert saw last night.' General George exclaimed to his S-2 Capt. Allison Ind, who had given him the message from MacArthur's chief of staff... On General George's order, Ind now telephoned Mariveles Field to instruct Joe Moore to fly the recon mission... At 10:50 Moore and Lunde took off in the field's only P-40s, Lunde on Moore's wing. When altitude had been reached... headed south, Lunde acting as weaver for Moore. After passing over the Lubang Islands, they flew southeast towards northern Mindoro. At the north end of Paluan Bay, near the shore, they could see a ship burning. While Lunde remained at 4,000 feet as cover, Moore went down to investigate. He found what he suspected to be Don Esteban, burned from stem to stern and still on fire near the stern. Moore could find no signs of the crew either on or around the ship but there were people on the beach opposite the vessel. After continuing their mission over the east of Mindoro to the coast towns of Calapan and Puerto Galera, Moore and Lunde headed back to Mariveles Field, landing at 12:15." YouTube - Valentine Dive 1 Mindoro YouTube - Valentine Dive 2 Mindoro YouTube - Stern Left Quarter Thanks to Tony Gridley for additional information Contribute
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