Don Esteban, delivered in 1936, was the first and smaller of two Krupp built motor ships of the De La Rama Steamship Company, Iloilo, Philippines in inter-island service.

[3][6][1] After the Japanese invasion of the Philippines she evacuated personnel from the Army headquarters, including General MacArthur, from Manila to Corregidor on Christmas Eve, 1941.

[8] Don Esteban was constructed 1936 at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft A. G., Kiel, Germany for the inter-island passenger service of the De La Rama Steamship Company in Philippine waters.

[6][10][11] The ship was returning to Manila, after orders to break from the mission due to the worsening situation in the Pacific, when news of the Attack on Pearl Harbor arrived.

On 13 December Don Esteban departed Manila after loading bombs from USS Canopus destined for the Del Monte airfield on Mindanao.

[14][15] Don Esteban continued evacuating personnel and supplies from the now open city of Manila to Bataan and Corregidor with a final departure assisting in removing Philippine government officials and the country's reserve gold and currency.