SS Santa Elisa was a refrigerated cargo ship built for the United States Maritime Commission by Federal Shipbuilding of Kearny, New Jersey in 1941.

After she straggled from the convoy, she was attacked and torpedoed by the Italian motor boats MAS 557 and 564 25 nautical miles (46 km) 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.

Santa Elisa eventually sank at approximately 07:17 on 13 August near position 36°20′N 11°28′E / 36.333°N 11.467°E / 36.333; 11.467, 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.

[4][5] 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.