At 09.07 and 09.08 hours on 21 July 1942, U-84 fired one torpedo each at a steamer and a tanker in convoy TAW-4J about 40 miles southwest of Key West and observed hits on both ships. However, only William Cullen Bryant (Master L.C. Perry) was hit by one torpedo on the starboard side in the #1 hold. The other torpedo was seen by lookouts to pass ahead seconds before the hit. The explosion opened a hole about 18 feet in diameter and buckled the plates beneath the midships house. The ten officers, 30 crewmen, twelve armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in, four .50cal and two .30cal guns) and two Navy signalmen abandoned ship, but reboarded the vessel after about two hours. The ship was taken in tow by the salvage tugs Moran and USS Willet (ARS 12) to the Northwest Anchorage and then to Key West, arriving on 23 July. On 29 July, the ship arrived in tow at Tampa and on 3 September in Jacksonville and continued to New York for repairs, arriving on 17 September. The Liberty ship returned to service on 19 March 1944.