I find that Operation Torch began on November 8, 1942.
A search of the ConvoyWeb website (http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/) shows that CONTESSA, under the Honduran flag, sailed from Hampton Roads (i.e., Norfolk), Virginia, on October 27, 1942, in convoy UGF-1, arriving at Casablanca on November 8, Casablanca being one of the major landing points of the invasion. ConvoyWeb also indicates that CONTESSA sailed from Casablanca on December 12, 1942, to Hampton Roads in convoy GUF-2A, arriving there on December 25.
A separate search of the Ancestry.com website (http://www.ancestry.com), more commonly used for genealogical research, shows CONTESSA arriving in New York City, not Hampton Roads, on December 25, 1942, from Casablanca, from which she had sailed on December 12. While there is a discrepancy between the two websites on where CONTESSA arrived on December 25, the Ancestry.com website includes images of original documents showing her arrival in New York on that date, so I assume that is the true arrival point.
In any case, the Ancestry.com website included the names of the crew of CONTESSA upon her arrival. I list the merchant marine crew below, all of whom had joined the ship between October 24 and October 26 in Newport News, Virginia, prior to her departure in convoy UGF-1. The crew represented many nationalities, including British, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Arabic, Portuguese, Brazilian, Honduran, Spanish, Peruvian, Belgian, Filipino and a few U.S. citizens, and ranged in age from 17 to 59. Their names and shipboard positions were as follows:
John, William H Master
Vallarino, Alexander Chief officer
Norberg, Jon 2nd officer
Pratt, Nathaniel P 3rd officer
Haylock, Harry Carpenter
Ahmet, Santiago Bosun
Janson, Ture Quartermaster
Peterson, Kay Quartermaster
Hanson, Hans Quartermaster
Kaup, Laas Able seaman
Ley, John Able seaman
Jensen, Bruno P Able seaman
Unthank, Vicent Able seaman
Lopes, Diamentino M Able seaman
Batista, Firmino A Able seaman
Romao, Alvaro Able seaman
Carpenter, Robert Able seaman
Kehoe, Michael J Able seaman
DeCastro, Joao Alves Able seaman
Shaw, Albert Deck cadet
Dochelli, Harry Deck cadet
Sigsworth, William J Purser
Turner, Alfred Chief radio operator
Macusic, Abraham 2nd radio operator
Langdon, John Chief engineer
Baumgart, Arthur 2nd engineer
McNab, Harvey 3rd engineer
Sheppard, George H 4th engineer
Pastor, Luis Donkeyman
Fonseca, Antonio Oiler
Saldarriaga, Edward Oiler
Cartelle, Jose Oiler
Sanches, Fernando V Oiler
Yusuf, Gaileh Oiler
Pace, Emanuel Fireman
Saralegue, Miguel L Fireman
Everaert, Pierre Fireman
Mohamed, Admed Fireman
Salik, Ali Fireman
Ali, Ahmid Fireman
Muhamed, Said Fireman
Watson, William G Chief ref. engineer [ref. = refrigeration?]
Artiago, Charles 2nd ref. engineer
Gilmour, John 3rd ref. engineer
Violini, Mario Chief steward
Adelson, Nathan 2nd steward
Sorenson, Hans Butcher
Larson, Ernst Chief cook
Stoveland, Wilhelm 2nd cook
Drummond, Harry 3rd cook
Dixon, Chester Chief pantryman
Follan, Robert Utility
O’Donnell, James Utility
Spence, William Utility
Lewicki, Leo Leonard Utility
Riccio, John Utility
Sutinen, John Arne Utility
Navarro, Daniel Utility
Blanco, Julian Utility
Jenicek, Leo Utility
Miller, Edward Utility
Wade, Phillip Esekiel Utility
Curiously, the record does not show an Armed Guard crew, although certainly one must have been aboard.
Also see this article from Sea Classics magazine (July 2006), "TWELVE DESPERATE MILES: The Remarkable Voyage of SS CONTESSA," which indicates that CONTESSA actually sailed alone from Hampton Roads to Casablanca, having missed the departure of the convoy to which she was assigned. See http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4442/is_200607/ai_n17183466/?tag=content;col1
I expect you may already be aware of this, but please see this page from the Armed Guard website for information on searching for additional information on a specific ship, through the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration: http://www.armed-guard.com/searchmil.html#ships. You would most likely be interested in Armed Guard logbooks and reports, deck logs, movement report cards, and records of individual convoys.
I hope this is helpful.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster
Armed Guard website
www.armed-guard.com
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