Operated by the Grace Line, Santa Elisa was a member of Convoy WS 21S from Newport, England, for Malta as a part of Operation Pedestal. After she straggled from the convoy, she was attacked and torpedoed by the Italian motor boats MAS 557 and 564 25nmi southeast of Cape Bon, Tunisia on the night of 12/13 August 1942. MAS 557 strafed the vessel with her .51 Breda machine gun, killing four British army gunners, while the second motorboat launched a 450 mm torpedo that struck Santa Elisa on the starboard side near the No. 1 cargo hatch at about 05:17. The ship's cargo of aviation gasoline burst into flames.
Santa Elisa eventually sank at approximately 07:17 on 13 August near position 36.3333°N 39°W, and 28 survivors, including Francis A. Dales who was awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for his involvement in the convoy, were rescued by HMS Penn and landed at Malta.[1] [2] Frederick A. Larsen, Jr. the Junior Third Mate on SS Santa Elisa also was awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for courage, heroism above and beyond the call of duty. After the Santa Elisas sinking, Dales and Larsen volunteered to board the damaged SS Ohio and helped defend it against further attacked until the Ohio reached Malta on 16 August 1942 suspended between the British destroyers Bramham and Penn. The award was given by Admiral Emory S. Land.[3]