At 20.53 hours on 25 May 1942 the Persephone sailing in an unknown convoy was torpedoed by U-593 off Barnegat Light and sank later in only eight fathoms of water in 46°15N/74°02W after breaking in two. The bow section was salvaged and towed to New York, where 21.000 barrels of oil were saved by barges. Her midship house was even removed intact and placed on the tanker Livingston Roe. The stern section was later blown up by the US Coast Guard after passing ships collided with it more than once.