At 12.57 hours on 6 April 1943 the John Sevier (Master Charles Frederick Drury) was torpedoed by U-185 about 20 miles southwest of Great Inagua Island, while proceeding as lead ship in the port column of the four-ship convoy GTMO-83, in station #11. The torpedo was spotted by lookouts in rough seas just seconds before it struck on the starboard side at the #5 hold. It pierced the hull, exploded inside the ship and caused most of its damage on the port side, flooding the #4 and #5 holds rapidly, causing the ship to sink stern first within 40 minutes. The engines were secured and after 15 minutes the eight officers, 31 crewmen, 17 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, two .30cal and four 20mm guns) and one passenger abandoned ship in four lifeboats and one raft. All hands were picked up over four hours after the attack by the American destroyer USS Bennett (DD 473) and landed at Guantanamo Bay the same day.