At 19.21 hours on 12 April 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Esso Boston (Master John Ludwig Johnson) was torpedoed by U-130 about 300 miles northeast of St. Martins, while en route on a zigzag course at 14 knots, just made a right turn. The torpedo struck between the #2 and #3 tanks on the starboard side, ten feet below the waterline and blew open the forward deck. The engines were stopped and the crew of eight officers and 29 men abandoned ship in three lifeboats. Five minutes after the hit, U-130 surfaced and began shelling the ship, which caught fire on the entire length of the vessel. The U-boat then came alongside one of the boats and questioned the men, offered them food and water and provided directions to the nearest convoy and land.

Early the next day, the chief engineer and a fireman reboarded the tanker and an inspection revealed that the ship could have been salvaged, but with no equipment the prospect for saving the vessel seemed slim. The tanker sank shortly thereafter. The survivors were picked up by USS Biddle (DD 151) on 13 April and landed them at San Juan, Puerto Rico.