SS Guiding Star Guiding Star was a troopship that was built in 1939 as the Type C2 cargo ship Nightingale by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co , Newport News , Virginia , United States for Grace Lines Inc , New York . In 1941 , she was transferred to the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) and renamed Empire Egret . In 1942 , she was transferred to the United States Maritime Commission ( USMC ) and renamed " Nightingale " . She was returned to Grace Lines later that year and renamed Santa Isabel . In 1943 , she was converted to a troopship . She was transferred to the USMC in 1946 and renamed " Guiding Star " , serving until she was scrapped in 1973 . Description . The ship was built in 1939 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co , Newport News , Virginia . She was yard number 373 , and USMC Hull number 26 . The ship was long , with a beam of . She had a depth of . She was assessed at 7 , 169 GRT , 4 , 328 NRT , 8 , 656 DWT . The ship was propelled by two steam turbines , double reduction geared , driving a single screw propeller . The turbines were made by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co . They were rated at 1 , 100 nhp . , They could propel her at . History . " Nightingale " was launched in 1939 and completed in October that year . Built for Grace Lines Inc , New York , her port of registry was Norfolk , Virginia . The United States official Number 230064 and code letters WCDH were allocated . She was delivered to Grace Lines Inc on 30 October . In 1941 , Grace Lines Inc sold " Nightingale " . She was bought by the MoWT and renamed " Empire Egret " . She was placed under the management of Royal Mail Lines Ltd . Her port of registry was London . The United Kingdom Official Number 168168 and Code Letters GNRN were allocated . She was now assessed as 7 , 248 GRT , 4 , 233 NRT . " Empire Egret " departed from New York on 20 April and arrived at Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada four days later . She departed on 25 April , joining Convoy SA 1 , which formed at sea on 30 April and arrived at the Clyde on 3 May . " Empire Egret " was a member of Convoy WS 9A , which departed from Oversay , Renfrewshire on 3 June and arrived at Freetown , Sierra Leone on 18 June . She sailed two days later for Durban , South Africa , arriving on 4 July and departing five days later for Aden , where she arrived on 21 July . " Empire Egret " departed the next day for Suez , Egypt , arriving on 25 July . She then sailed to Port Said , from where she departed on 29 July for Alexandria , arriving later that day and departing on 5 August for Port Said , where she arrived the next day . She then sailed to Port Sudan , Sudan , from where she sailed on 11 August for Lourenço Marques , Mozambique , arriving on 24 August . She departed on 1 September for Beira , arriving two days later and departing on 8 September for Cape Town , South Africa , where she arrived on 12 September . " Empire Egret " departed from Cape Town on 13 September for Trinidad , where she arrived on 29 September , departing the next day for Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . She arrived at Philadelphia on 6 October , departing five days later for New York , where she arrived on 12 October . She departed on 22 October for the Hampton Roads , Virginia , arriving the next day and the sailing to Norfolk , Virginia , from where she departed in a convoy bound for Liverpool , Lancashire , United Kingdom , arriving on 5 November . " Empire Egret " departed from Liverpool on 20 November bound for Newport , Monmouthshire , arriving two days later . She then sailed to the Clyde , from where she departed on 6 December to join Convoy WS 14 , which departed from Oversay on 9 December and arrived at Freetown on 21 December . She departed on 25 December for Cape Town , arriving on 2 January 1942 and departing a week later to join Convoy WS 14A , which formed at sea on 19 January and dispersed off Aden on 22 January . " Empire Egret " arrived at Aden that day , sailing four days later for Suez , where she arrived on 30 January . She then sailed to Port Said , from where she departed on 31 January for Alexandria , arriving the next day . She departed on 19 February for Port Said , arriving the next day and then sailing to Suez , from where she departed on 22 February for Mombasa , Kenya , arriving on 2 March . " Empire Egret " was a member of Convoy KR 1 , which departed from Kilindini Harbour on 10 March and arrived at Colombo , Ceylon on 20 March . She was carrying a cargo of artillery and vehicles , accompanied by 26 troops . She departed from Colombo on 27 March bound for Bombay , India , arriving on 3 April . She departed on 15 April for Mombasa , arriving on 21 April and sailing five days later for Beira , where she arrived on 29 April . " Empire Egret " departed from Beira on 2 May for Cape Town , arriving four days later and departing on 9 May for Trinidad , where she arrived on 24 May . She departed on 6 June for Baltimore , arriving on 12 June . " Empire Egret " was then transferred to the United States Maritime Commission and renamed " Nightingale " . She was transferred to Grace Lines Inc later that year and renamed " Santa Isabel " . The Code Letters WCRH were allocated and her port of registry was Baltimore , Maryland . In 1943 , she was converted to a troopship by Brewer Dockyard Co , New York . The conversion was completed in 1944 . On 30 April , " Santa Isabel " departed from Port Hueneme , California for Nouméa , New Caledonia with 1 , 750 troops on board . She arrived on 17 May . In 1946 , " Santa Isabel " was transferred to the USMC and renamed " Guiding Star " . She served until June 1973 , when she was scrapped at Brownsville , Texas .