Don Isidro (1939)

Don Isidro 24 December 1941 (Australian War Memorial, Naval Historical Collection)
History
malformed flag imagePhilippines
Name:	Don Isidro
Owner:	De La Rama Steamship Company
Operator:	De La Rama Steamship Company
Builder:	Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft A. G., Kiel, Germany
Launched:	1939
Fate:	Attacked by Japanese aircraft en route to bomb Darwin on 19 February 1942, beached burning, lost.
Notes:	Under U.S. Army time/voyage charter December 1941 until loss 19 February 1942.
General characteristics
Tonnage:	3,261 GRT
Length:	320.9 ft (97.8 m)
Beam:	46 ft (14 m)
Height:	177 ft (54 m) upper bridge
Draught:	20 ft (6.1 m)
Propulsion:	Two 9 cyl turbocharged diesel
Speed:	20 kts
Capacity:	408 passengers

Don Isidro, delivered in 1939, was the second and larger of two Krupp built motor ships of De La Rama Steamship Company, Iloilo, Philippines in inter-island service. The ship under a time charter by the United States Army as a transport during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. As defending forces became cut off from supply by the Japanese blockade Don Isidro was one of eight ships, only three of which were successful, known to make an attempt to run the blockade. In that attempt, under her captain Rafael J. Cisneros, Don Isidro became involved in the 19 February Japanese attack on Darwin, Australia where, though not in the port, she was strafed, bombed and left off Bathurst Island burning with all lifeboats destroyed. The captain attempted to make land when she grounded about three miles off Melville Island to which survivors swam. Of the sixty-seven crew and sixteen soldiers aboard eleven of the crew and one soldier were killed or missing. Survivors were rescued by HMAS Warrnambool, taken to Darwin, treated at the hospital and then awaited orders at the 147th Field Artillery camp.

Don Isidro was constructed 1939 at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft A. G., Kiel, Germany for the inter-island passenger service of the De La Rama Steamship Company in Philippine waters. She was a diesel motor ship with two nine cylinder turbocharged engines driving two screws for a speed of twenty knots.

The day after Great Britain and France declare war with Germany Don Isidro was subject of an incident at Port Said on 5 September 1939 as she cleared the Suez Canal on her maiden voyage from Kiel to Manila. British authorities removed from the ship two German engineers, sailing with the vessel to provide training and technical support, provoking a diplomatic protest from the United States "as illegal and a violation of the neutral rights of the United States" on the day after President Roosevelt proclaimed that neutrality. The British explanation was unsatisfactory to the Department of State but was considered closed "on the assumption that similar instances will not be permitted to occur in the future."