SS Norhauk Norhauk was a 6 , 086 GRT refrigerated cargo ship which was built to Design 1015 by G . M . Standifer Construction Company , Vancouver , Washington in 1919 as Waban for the United States Shipping Board ( USSB ) . After service with Lykes Brothers - Ripley Steamship Co Inc she was transferred to the Ministry of Shipping ( later the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) ) in 1940 and renamed Empire Sambar . A boiler - room explosion damaged her in 1941 . After repairs she was renamed Empire Beaver . She was transferred to the Norwegian Government in 1942 and renamed " Norhauk " , serving until she struck a mine and sank in December 1943 . Description . " Waban " was built to Design 1015 by G . M . Standifer Construction Company , Vancouver , Washington . She was built to Design 1015 and was yard number 3 . " Waban " was launched on 17 April 1919 and completed in October that year . She was long , with a beam of and a depth of . Her GRT was 6 , 048 with a DWT of 9 , 193 and a NRT of 3 , 749 . Career . Waban . " Waban " was built for the USSB . On 14 January 1932 , " Waban " was in collision with in the Houston Channel , Texas . The weather at the time was foggy . Both vessels sustained severe damage . " Waban " served with the USSB until 1933 when she was sold to Lykes Brothers - Ripley Steamship Co Inc . Her port of registry was Portland , Oregon . In 1933 , " Waban " was employed in the transportation of cotton from the United States to France . Dr J B Howell recalled that he paid US $ 75 to sail on " Waban " on one voyage from Galveston , Texas to Le Havre , France . On 28 January 1940 , " Waban " was detained in Gibraltar while on a voyage to Italy and Greece . She was released after an item of her cargo was seized as contraband and 34 of her crew had been detained . Empire Sambar . In 1940 , " Waban " was sold to the Ministry of Shipping ( later the MoWT ) and renamed " Empire Sambar " . She was placed under the management of Runciman ( London ) Ltd and her port of registry was changed to London . " Empire Sambar " was a member of a number of convoys . Convoy SC 3 , departed from Sydney , Nova Scotia on 2 September 1940 and arrived at Liverpool on 18 September . " Empire Sambar " was carrying a cargo of pig iron , bound for Grangemouth . On 6 March 1941 , " Empire Sambar " was damaged by an explosion in her boiler room . Empire Beaver . Following repairs , " Empire Sambar " was renamed " Empire Beaver " . " Empire Beaver " was a member of a number of convoys . Convoy SC 67 departed Halifax , Nova Scotia on 30 January 1942 and arrived at Liverpool on 15 February . " Empire Beaver " left the convoy and returned to Halifax , later joining Convoy SC 70 . Convoy SC 70 departed Halifax on 16 February 1942 and arrived at Liverpool on 7 March . " Empire Beaver " was carrying a general cargo bound for Holyhead and Liverpool . Norhauk . On 5 April 1942 , " Empire Beaver " was transferred to the Norwegian government - in - exile and renamed " Norhauk " . She was operated under the management of The Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission . Her port of registry was changed to Oslo , despite that the city was occupied by Germany at the time . " Norhauk " was a member of a number of convoys . Convoy ON 86 departed Liverpool on 14 April 1942 and arrived at Cape Cod on 29 April . " Norhauk " was bound for Philadelphia . " Norhauk " departed New York on 2 May and arrived at Philadelphia on 3 May . On 20 May she sailed from Philadelphia for New York from where she sailed on 27 May for Sydney , Nova Scotia , arriving on 5 June . Convoy SC 86 sailed from Sydney on 5 June and arrived at Liverpool on 20 June . " Norhauk " was carrying a general cargo . Convoy ON 114 sailed from Liverpool on 19 July and dispersed at sea on 4 August . She arrived at New York on 5 August and sailed on 7 August for Philadelphia , arriving on 9 August . On 21 August , " Norhauk " sailed from Philadelphia for New York , Boston and Halifax , where she arrived on 12 September . Convoy SC 100h sailed from Halifax on 12 September and arrived at Liverpool on 28 September . During the voyage , " Norhauk " rescued some of the survivors from " Empire Hartebeeste " which had been torpedo ed and sunk by " U - 596 " . On 28 September , " Norhauk " sailed for Loch Ewe , from where she sailed on 30 September for the Methil Roads , arriving on 2 October . The next day she sailed for Gravesend , where she arrived on 5 October . On 4 December , " Norhauk " sailed from Gravesend for the Methil Roads , where she arrived on 12 December . On 14 December she sailed for Loch Ewe , where she arrived on 18 December . " Norhauk " was a member of Convoy ON 156 ' The convoy sailed from Liverpool on 24 December and arrived at New York on 17 January 1943 . Having joined the convoy at sea , " Norhauk " later lost the convoy and put into Halifax , arriving on 9 January . Two days later she sailed for New York and Baltimore , where she arrived on 19 January . On 8 February she sailed for New York , arriving on 13 February . Convoy SC 120 sailed from New York on 13 February and arrived at Liverpool on 5 March . " Norhauk " was carrying a cargo of bomb s and general cargo . On 27 March , " Norhauk " sailed from Liverpool and anchored in the Mersey . Convoy ONS 2 sailed from Liverpool on 28 March and arrived at Halifax on 19 April . " Norhauk " was bound for New York and arrived there on 22 April . ON 28 April she sailed for Baltimore , arriving on 23 April . On 17 May she departed Baltimore for New York via the Hampton Roads , arriving on 20 May . On 23 May , she sailed for Halifax via Boston , arriving on 26 May . Convoy SC 133 sailed from Halifax on 5 June and arrived at Liverpool on 19 June . " Norhauk " was bound for Gravesend , arriving on 23 June . On 27 15 July she departed Gravesend and anchored off Southend the following day . On 18 July she sailed for Oban , arriving on 22 July . Convoy ONS 14 sailed from Liverpool on 26 July and arrived at Halifax on 9 August . " Norhauk " sailed from Oban on 27 July to join the convoy at sea . Seh arrived at New York on 13 August and departed the next day for Philadelphia , arriving the same day . On 5 September she departed Philadelphia for Boston , New York and Halifax , arriving sometime between 7 and 9 September . Convoy SC 142 sailed from Halifax on 15 September and arrived at Liverpool on 29 September . " Norhauk " was carrying general cargo and was bound for Hull , where she arrived on 3 October . On 17 October she sailed from Hull for Oban , arriving on 22 October . Convoy ONS 21 sailed from Liverpool on 22 October and arrived at Halifax on 5 November . " Norhauk " was bound for St John , New Brunswick and arrived on 6 November . On 24 November she sailed for Halifax , arriving on 26 November . Convoy SC 148 departed Halifax on 2 December and arrived at Liverpool on 16 December . She was carrying a cargo comprised 236 tons of aircraft and gun s , 727 tons of aluminium , 863 tons of cheese , 111 tons of flour , 627 tons of military vehicles , 60 tons of tank spares , 95 tons of wireless sets and 1 , 000 tons of zinc . She arrived at Loch Ewe on 16 December and sailed for London the same day . " Norhauk " joined coastal convoys WN519 and FS 130 . At 14 : 38 on 21 December , " Norhauk " struck a mine in the Thames Estuary and sank almost immediately . Eleven of her 41 crew were killed . An inquiry into the loss of " Norhauk " on 6 January 1944 heard that the ship had degaussing equipment fitted and that it was in use at the time she struck the mine . The position of " Norhauk " is reported to be either or Official Numbers and Code Letters . Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Numbers . " Waban " had the US Official Number 218222 and used the Code Letters LRKN under the USSB . With a change of ownership her Code Letters changed to WBCD . " Empire Sambar " and " Empire Beaver " had the UK Official Number 167511 and the Code Letters GLSJ . Norhauk used the Code Letters LNAF . Propulsion . The ship was propelled by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 24½ inches ( 62 cm ) , 48½ inches ( 123 cm ) and diameter by stroke . It was built by Hooven , Owens , Rentschler & Company of Hamilton , Ohio . The engine could propel the ship at a speed of .