At 06.25 hours on 27 Feb 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Marore (Master Charles Ernest Nash) was hit on the port side amidships by one torpedo from U-432 3.5 miles off Wimble Shoals. After 15 minutes, the eight officers and 31 crewmen abandoned ship in three lifeboats, just as the U-boat began shelling the ship until 07.00 hours. As the bulk carrier rolled over and slowly sank, the U-boat left the area at 07.20 hours.
A US Coast Guard motor surfboat from the Big Kinnakeet Lifeboat Station helped seven survivors from the third boat to get ashore, while the master and 13 survivors from the same boat were rescued by the US Coast Guard vessel USS CG-3843. The survivors in the other two boats were picked up by the John D. Gill and landed at Norfolk.

The master, Charles Ernest Nash, experienced another sinking when his next ship, the Christopher Newport, was sunk in convoy PQ-17 on 4 July 1942.