At 03.48 hours on 21 May 1942 the unescorted Clare (Master William Tausendschoen) was hit by one torpedo from U-103 about 40 miles off the coast of Cuba. The torpedo struck at the foremast between cargo holds #1 and #2, about six feet below the waterline. The blast created a hole about 15 feet in diameter, demolished the entire front of the ship and scattered the cargo below the above decks. The vessel lost way rapidly and sank 30 minutes later, listing to port about 25° and then going down quickly by the head. The radio operator sent an SOS four times but received no answer and the armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and two .30cal guns) had no chance to fire at the U-boat because it remained submerged. The entire complement of eight officers, 25 crewmen and seven armed guards abandoned ship in one lifeboat and three rafts. The boat reached Cape Corrientes, Cuba in eight hours and a Cuban gunboat picked up the men on the rafts.