SS Quistconck Quistconck was a Design 1022 Hog Islander that was laid down as Red Jacket in 1918 by American International Shipbuilding Co Inc , Hog Island , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States for the United States Shipping Board ( USSB ) . Launched as " Quistconck " , she was sold to Lykes Brothers - Ripley Steamship Co Inc in 1933 . In 1941 , she was passed to the Ministry of War Transport ( MoWT ) and renamed Empire Falcon . She was sold into merchant service in 1946 and renamed Barnby . A sale to a Panamanian company saw her renamed Mariandrea . She served until 1953 , when she was scrapped . Description . The ship was built in 1918 by American International Shipbuilding Co Inc , Hog Island , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . The ship was long , with a beam of . She had a depth of , and a draught of . She was assessed at 5 , 144 GRT , 3 , 072 NRT , 7 , 500 DWT . The ship was propelled by a steam turbine , double reduction geared , driving a single screw propeller . The turbine was made by General Electric Co Inc , Schenectady , New York . It was rated at 600 nhp . The turbine could propel her at . History . Pre WWII . Laid down as " Red Jacket " , " Quistconck " was the first Hog Islander built . Her keel was laid on 18 February 1918 . She was built on way number 1 of the American International ' s shipyard . It took 1 , 160 , 000 man - hour s to construct her , partly because the shipyard was still under construction at the same time " Quistconck " was ( the next ship only needed 601 , 00 man - hours to complete and third required only 400 , 000 man - hours ) . She was christened on 5 August 1918 by Edith Bolling Galt Wilson , wife of American President Woodrow Wilson and launched that day in front of 60 , 000 spectators . Due to the hot weather at the time , there were no speeches . Immediately following the launch , the keel of the next ship was laid . She was built for the USSB . The United States Official Number 217144 and Code Letters LNMB were allocated . " Quistconck " was delivered on 3 December 1918 . In 1933 , " Quistconck " was sold to Lykes Brothers - Ripley Steamship Co Inc . Her port of registry was changed to New Orleans , Louisiana , and the vessel engaged in freight service between the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean . Following the changes to Code Letters in 1934 , " Quistconck " was allocated the Code Letters WREI . In 1937 , she was transferred to Lykes Coastwise Lines Inc . Several photos of this vessel can be found in the September , 1937 issue of " Fortune " magazine , including a picture of the vessel loading scrap steel and a photo of Chief Engineer Charles B . Brown , who had sailed on " Quistconk " for its entire career up to that time . WWII . In 1941 , " Quistconck " was transferred to the MoWT . She was placed under the management of Headlam & Son Ltd . The United Kingdom Official Number 168079 and Code Letters GNCN were allocated . Her port of registry was London . She reached the United Kingdom as a member of Convoy SC 20 , which departed from Halifax , Nova Scotia , Canada on 22 January 1941 and arrived at Liverpool , Lancashire on 8 February . She was carrying a cargo of scrap and steel and was bound for Hull , Yorkshire . " Empire Falcon " departed from the Clyde on 23 April 1941 to join Convoy OB 313 , which had departed from Liverpool the previous day and dispersed at sea on 28 April . She was bound for Jacksonville , Florida , United States , where she arrived on 12 May . She departed two days later for Savannah , Georgia , arriving later that day . She sailed on 1 June for Halifax , arriving on 6 June . " Empire Falcon " returned to the United Kingdom with Convoy HX 132 , which departed on 10 June and arrived at Liverpool on 28 June . Her captain was criticized by the Convoy Commodore for very bad station keeping and signalling . She was carrying scrap steel and special cargo , and arrived at the Clyde on 28 June . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 18 July to join Convoy OB 348 , which had departed from Liverpool the previous day and arrived at Halifax on 31 July . She arrived at Halifax on 2 August , sailing three days later for New Orleans , Louisiana , United States , where she arrived on 13 August . " Empire Falcon " departed on 24 August for Halifax , arriving on 2 September . She was a member of Convoy HX 151 , which departed on 22 September and arrived at Liverpool on 7 October . Her cargo was sulphur , which was delivered to the Clyde on 5 October . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 1 November to join Convoy ON 32 , which had departed from Liverpool that day and arrived at Halifax on 16 November . She left the convoy off Halifax and sailed to New York , United States , arriving on 19 November . She sailed for Halifax on 6 December , arriving three days later . " Empire Falcon " was a member of Convoy HX 167 , which departed on 27 December and arrived at Liverpool on 11 January 1942 . She was carrying general cargo , which was delivered to the Clyde on 10 January . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 25 February to join Convoy ON 70 , which had departed from Liverpool that day and dispersed at sea on 15 March . She returned to the Clyde , arriving on 27 February . She sailed again on 6 March to join Convoy ON 73 , which had departed from Liverpool the previous day and dispersed at on 16 March . She was bound for New York , which was reached on 20 April following calls at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania and Baltimore , Maryland . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 21 April for Halifax , arriving two days later . Carrying general cargo , she joined Convoy HX 187 , which departed on 26 April and arrived at Liverpool on 8 May . She left the convoy at the Belfast Lough , joining convoy BB 172 , which sailed on 9 May and arrived at Milford Haven , Pembrokeshire the next day . Her destination was Cardiff , Glamorgan , where she arrived on 11 May . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 19 May for Swansea , arriving the next day . She departed on 29 May for Milford Haven , where she arried later that day . She sailed two days later to join Convoy OS 30 , which departed from Liverpool on 1 June and arrived at Freetown , Sierra Leone on 19 June . Her armament consisted a 4 - inch or 4 . 7 - in gun , six machine gun s and a number of kite s . She was carrying a cargo of military stores bound for Cape Town , South Africa , which was reached on 3 July . She departed six days later for Aden , arriving on 26 July and sailing the next day for Massawa , Eritrea . where she arrived on 29 July . " Empire Falcon " departed on 3 August for Suez , Egypt , arriving five days later . She sailed on 2 September for Cape Town , where she arrived on 25 September . She sailed on 30 September for Saint Thomas , United States Virgin Islands , arriving on 24 October . She departed two days later for San Juan , Puerto Rico , where she arrived later that day . She sailed three days later for Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . " Empire Falcon " was a member of Convoy GN 17 , which departed on 3 November and arrived at New York on 10 November . She then made a round trip to Baltimore , arriving back at New York on 6 December before joining Convoy NG 328 , which departed on 10 December and arrived at Guantanamo Bay on 18 December . She then joined Convoy GZ 16 , which departed that day and arrived at Cristóbal , Canal Zone on 21 December . " Empire Falcon " then sailed to Balboa , Panama , from where she departed on 23 December for Valparaíso , Chile , arriving on 4 January 1943 . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 6 January for Punta Arenas , arriving six days later . She the sailed to Durban , South Africa , where she arrived on 2 February . She was a member of Convoy DN 16 , which sailed on 10 February and dispersed at sea two days later . She arrived at Aden on 26 February , sailing that day for Suez , where she arrived on 4 March . " Empire Falcon " then sailed to Port Said , from where she departed on 6 March for Alexandria , arriving on 8 March . " Empire Falcon " then joined Convoy MW 25 , which departed on 5 April and arrived at Malta on 12 April . She was in the part of the convoy that formed Convoy XT 9 at sea on 11 April and arrived at Tripoli , Libya that day . She departed on 26 April with Convoy TX 9 , which joined with Convoy ME 24 at sea the next day . " Empire Falcon " was towing , which had been damaged when she struck a wreck on arrival at Tripoli on 11 April . Convoy ME 24 had departed from Malta on 25 April and arrived at Alexandria on 1 May . " Daltonhall " was towed to Port Said , arriving on 2 May . She sailed that day for Port Said , arriving the next day . " Empire Falcon " was a member of Convoy MW 29 , which departed on 25 May and arrived at Malta on 31 May . She was in the portion of the convoy that formed Convoy XT 15 at sea on 29 May and arrived at Tripoli that day . She sailed on 8 June to join Convoy KMS 15 , which had departed from Gibraltar on 31 May and arrived at Port Said on 14 June . She sailed on 15 July for Alexandria , arriving the next day . " Empire Falcon " then joined convoy MWS 38 , which departed on 18 July and arrived at Syracuse , Sicily , Italy on 24 July . Her destination was Tripoli , where she arrived on 28 July . She sailed on 3 August to join Convoy KMS 21 , which had departed from Gibraltar on 29 July and arrived at Port Said on 9 August . " Empire Falcon " then sailed to Suez , from where she departed on 14 September for Safaga , arriving the next day and sailing three days later for Aden , where she arrived on 24 September . She joined Convoy AKD 2 , which departed on 30 September and arrived at Kilindini , Kenya on 10 October . She then joind Convoy AKD 2A , which departed on 11 October and arrived at Durban on 19 October . She departed the next day for Cape Town , arriving on 24 October . " Empire Falcon " departed on 27 November for Lourenço Marques , Mozambique , where she arrived on 2 December . She sailed eight days later for Aden , arriving on 25 December and sailing that day for Suez , where she arrived on 31 December . " Empire Falcon " then sailed to Port Said , from where she sailed on 2 January 1944 for Alexandria , arriving the next day . She joined Convoy GUS 28 , which departed on 15 January and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 15 February . She left the convoy at Gibraltar , where she arrived on 26 January . She sailed on 5 February to join Convoy OS 66 , which formed at sea that day and arrived at Freetown on 15 February . She joined Convoy STL 12 , which departed on 22 February and arrived at Lagos , Nigeria on 29 February . " Empire Falcon " left the convoy at Takoradi , Gold Coast on 27 February . She sailed on 29 February for Lagos , arriving on 2 March and sailing that day for Douala , Cameroun , where she arrived two days later . She sailed on 17 March for Lagos , arriving two days later . " Empire Falcon " was a member of Convoy LTS 14 , which departed on 20 March and arrived at Freetown on 27 March . She joined Convoy SL 154 , which departed on 1 April and rendezvoused at sea with convoy MKS 45 on 11 April . MKS 45 had departed from Gibraltar on 10 April . The combined convoys arrived at Liverpool on 23 April . She was carrying a cargo of logs , palm kernel s and rubber . " Empire Falcon " was a member of Convoy OS78KM , which departed on 22 May and split at sea on 4 June to form convoys OS 78 and KMS 52 . OS 78 arrived at Freetown on 14 June . " Empire Falcon " was in the portion of the convoy that formed KMS 52G and arrived at Gibraltar on 6 June . She was carrying a cargo of stores bound for Malta . Her armament consisted a 4 - inch or 4 . 7 inch gun , a Bofors gun and six machine guns . She joined Convoy KMS 52 , which departed that day and arrived at Port Said on 16 June . She arrived at Malta on 11 June , sailing eight days later to join Convoy GUS . 43 , which had departed from Port Said on 13 June and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 10 July . She left the convoy at Algiers , Algeria due to defects , arriving on 23 June . Defects rectified , she sailed on 2 July to join Convoy GUS 44 , which had departed from Port Said on 24 June and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 18 July . " Empire Falcon " sailed on to New York , from where she departed on 2 August to join convoy UGS 50 , which departed from the Hampton Roads on 3 August and arrived at Port Said on 29 August . She put into Philadelphia with defects , arriving on 4 August . " Empire Falcon " sailed for the Hampton Roads on 10 August , arriving that day . She was a member of Convoy UGS 51 , which departed on 13 August and arrived at Port Said on 8 September . " Empire Falcon " then sailed to Suez , from where she departed on 14 September for Aden , arriving on 20 September . She sailed two days later for Karachi , India , where she arrived on 28 September . " Empire Falcon " departed on 5 October for Bombay , arriving two days later . She sailed on 27 November for Mauritius , arriving on 9 December and sailing on 24 December for Aden . " Empire Falcon " arrived at Aden on 6 January 1945 and sailed that day for Port Sudan , Sudan , arriving on 10 January . She sailed the next day for Suez , where she arrived on 14 January before sailing to Port Said . She departed on 15 January for Alexandria , arriving two days later . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 26 January for Haifa , Palestine , arriving the next day . She departed on 3 February for Gibraltar , where she arrived on 11 February . She was a member of Convoy MKS83G , which departed on 14 February and arrived at Liverpool on 22 February . Her cargo was fruit . She left the convoy at the Clyde . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 2 April to join Convoy OS 120KM , which departed from Liverpool that day and arrived at Gibraltar as Convoy KMS 94G on 11 April . She was carrying a cargo of Coke , potatos and vehicles . Her armament consisted a 4 - inch or 4 . 7 - inch gun , a Bofors gun and four machine guns . She passed Gibraltar and arrived at Naples , Italy on 15 April . She departed on 19 April for an undisclosed destination , arriving back at Naples on 1 May and sailing that day for Gibraltar , where she arrived on 5 May . She sailed immediately for Casablanca , Morocco , arriving on 6 May . Post - war . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 25 May to join Convoy GUS 91 , which had departed from Oran , Algeria on 22 May and arrived at the Hampton Roads on 8 June . She sailed on to Baltimore , from where she departed on 12 July for New York , arriving the next day . She departed on 25 July for Naples , arriving on 13 August and sailing on 25 August for Gibraltar , where she arrived on 29 August . " Empire Falcon " sailed on 11 September for Montevideo , Uruguay , where she arrived on 9 October . She departed on 26 October for Necochea , Argentina , arriving two days later and departing on 1 November for Rio de Janeiro , where she arrived on 13 November . She sailed eight days later for the Cape Verde Islands , arriving on 4 December and sailing again that day . In 1946 , " Empire Falcon " was sold to Rowland & Marwoods Steamship Co Ltd and renamed " Barnby " . In 1952 , " Barnby " was sold to Societa de Navigazione Maliveras SA , Panama and renamed " Mariandrea " . She served until 1953 , arriving at Troon , Ayrshire in March for scrapping .