Balladier
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| Name | Balladier | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 3.279 tons | ||
| Completed | 1919 - Submarine Boat Corp, Newark NJ | ||
| Owner | Parry SS Co, New York | ||
| Homeport | New York | ||
| Date of attack | 15 Aug, 1942 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-705 (Karl-Horst Horn) | ||
| Position | 55.23N, 24.32W - Grid AL 4527 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 45 (13 dead and 32 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | SC-95 | ||
| Route | New York - Reykjavik | ||
| Cargo | 4000 tons of general cargo composed mainly of lumber and steel pipe | ||
| History | Ordered as American Absolona, laid down as Tripp, completed as Marsodak for American Range Lines Inc, Philadelphia; 1941 renamed Namarib; 1942 renamed Balladier | ||
| Notes on loss | At 00.00 hours on 15 Aug, 1942, lookouts on Balladier (Master Ernest G. Hellsten) spotted U-705 and forced her to dive with 20mm gunfire. With determination, Horn continued to stalk the ship and fired a torpedo at 03.58 hours, which struck on the starboard side at #3 hatch and the engine room. The armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, two 20mm and four .30cal guns) had no second chance to fire on the U-boat because she began rapidly to sink with heavy starboard list. She sank within seven minutes about 550 miles southeast of Iceland. The most of the eight officers, 26 men and 11 armed guards abandoned ship in one lifeboat, two rafts and a float. The American steam merchant Norluna witnessed the attack and in spite of danger rescued the survivors. They left the dead first mate in the lifeboat and two others died on board. In all, three officers, eight men and two armed guards died. The Norluna arrived in Reykavik next day and the Naval authorities expressed surprise because the commanding officer of the escorts reported the sinking of the Balladier and the Norluna. | ||
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