At 01.37 hours on 7 May 1943 the unescorted Samuel Jordan Kirkwood (Master Samuel Olsen) was hit by one torpedo from U-195 about 125 miles southeast of Ascension Island. The U-boat had missed the ship that was zigzagging at 12 knots already with two torpedoes about 20 hours before and since then chased the ship. The third torpedo had been spotted by a lookout on the port beam, but could not be avoided and struck on the port side just aft of the #5 hatch. The explosion opened a 20 feet hole, destroyed the shaft alley and steering gear and caused the aft gun platform to collapse. The engines were secured and the six officers, 36 crewmen, 25 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) and four passengers (repatriated seamen) abandoned ship in four lifeboats and one raft. The ship immediately sank after a coup de grâce hit at 03.52 hours. The lifeboats were spotted on 17 May by a US Army crash boat and taken in tow for Ascension Island.