Faja de Oro
Encyclopedia
SS Faja de Oro ("Golden Belt") was an oil tanker
built in 1914. She sailed for a number of companies, and survived service in the First World War, only to be torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat
during the Second World War while sailing under the Mexican flag in the Gulf of Mexico
. Her sinking contributed to Mexico's decision to enter the war on the side of the Allies.
Faja de Oro was originally built by R. W. Hawthorn Leslie & Company, Hebburn-on-Tyne as the Barneson, for service with Bank Line Ltd (Andrew Weir & Co), of Glasgow
. She was taken over by Andrew Weir & Co in 1915 and renamed Oyleric. She was sold in 1937 to the Italian
company Ditta G.M. Barbagelata, of Genoa
, and was renamed Genoano. She was seized while docked at Tampico
, in Mexico on 8 December 1941 by the Mexican government and renamed Faja de Oro. She was operated by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex
), and was homeported in Tampico.
Faja de Oro was sailing unescorted from Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania
back to Tampico in May 1942. She was not carrying any cargo, and was sailing in ballast
. She was sighted by the German U-boat U-106, under Kapitänleutnant Hermann Rasch
, and was torpedoed at 04.21 hours on 21 May 1942, while off Key West
. The attack was made despite Mexican neutrality
, presumably because the ship's nationality had been indiscernible in the dark. Faja de Oro was hit in the foreship by one of two torpedoes. U-106 then fired a coup de grâce at 04.33 hours, which missed. A second was fired 20 minutes later, hitting her amidships and setting her on fire. She sank shortly afterwards with the loss of 10 of her crew. 27 survivors were later rescued. The attack had been observed by another German submarine, U-753
, which had also chased Faja de Oro, but on noticing U-106, had not attempted an attack.
The sinking of Faja de Oro, coming as it did a week after the sinking of the Mexican tanker Potrero del Llano
on 14 May by Reinhard Suhren
's U-564 contributed to Mexico's declaration of war on Germany on 1 June 1942.
Tank ship
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
built in 1914. She sailed for a number of companies, and survived service in the First World War, only to be torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
during the Second World War while sailing under the Mexican flag in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. Her sinking contributed to Mexico's decision to enter the war on the side of the Allies.
Faja de Oro was originally built by R. W. Hawthorn Leslie & Company, Hebburn-on-Tyne as the Barneson, for service with Bank Line Ltd (Andrew Weir & Co), of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. She was taken over by Andrew Weir & Co in 1915 and renamed Oyleric. She was sold in 1937 to the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
company Ditta G.M. Barbagelata, of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, and was renamed Genoano. She was seized while docked at Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
, in Mexico on 8 December 1941 by the Mexican government and renamed Faja de Oro. She was operated by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex
Pemex
Petróleos Mexicanos or Pemex is a Mexican state-owned petroleum company. As of 2010, with a total asset worth of $415.75 billion, it is the second non-publicly listed largest company in the world by total market value, and Latin America's second largest enterprise by annual revenue as of 2009...
), and was homeported in Tampico.
Faja de Oro was sailing unescorted from Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania
Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania
Marcus Hook is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population peaked in the 1920s with 5,324 inhabitants. 2,314 inhabitants were counted at the recent 2000 census. Marcus Hook's current mayor is James Schiliro. The borough calls itself "The Cornerstone of Pennsylvania"....
back to Tampico in May 1942. She was not carrying any cargo, and was sailing in ballast
Sailing ballast
Ballast is used in sailboats to provide moment to resist the lateral forces on the sail. Insufficiently ballasted boats will tend to tip, or heel, excessively in high winds. Too much heel may result in the boat capsizing. If a sailing vessel should need to voyage without cargo then ballast of...
. She was sighted by the German U-boat U-106, under Kapitänleutnant Hermann Rasch
Hermann Rasch
Hermann Rasch was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, and was torpedoed at 04.21 hours on 21 May 1942, while off Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
. The attack was made despite Mexican neutrality
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
, presumably because the ship's nationality had been indiscernible in the dark. Faja de Oro was hit in the foreship by one of two torpedoes. U-106 then fired a coup de grâce at 04.33 hours, which missed. A second was fired 20 minutes later, hitting her amidships and setting her on fire. She sank shortly afterwards with the loss of 10 of her crew. 27 survivors were later rescued. The attack had been observed by another German submarine, U-753
German submarine U-753
German submarine U-753 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Commissioned on 18 June 1941, she served with 3rd U-boat Flotilla until 30 November as a training boat, and as a front boat until 13 May 1943 under the command of Alfred Manhardt von...
, which had also chased Faja de Oro, but on noticing U-106, had not attempted an attack.
The sinking of Faja de Oro, coming as it did a week after the sinking of the Mexican tanker Potrero del Llano
Potrero del Llano
SS Potrero del Llano was an oil tanker built in 1912. She sailed for a number of companies, and survived service in the First World War, only to be torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat during the Second World War while sailing under the Mexican flag off the coast of Florida...
on 14 May by Reinhard Suhren
Reinhard Suhren
Commander Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren was a German U-boat commander in World War II and younger brother of Korvettenkapitän and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient Gerd Suhren. Suhren began his U-boat career in March 1938...
's U-564 contributed to Mexico's declaration of war on Germany on 1 June 1942.