At 18.10 hours on 13 July 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Oneida (Master Walter Franklin Deal) was hit by one torpedo from U-166 about two miles north of Cape Maysi, Cuba. The torpedo was seen by a lookout but it was too late to take evasive action and it struck on the starboard side amidships just aft of the engine room. The explosion blew away about 20% of the side and caused the ship to sink within three minutes. The survivors among the eight officers and 21 crewmen abandoned ship on two rafts because there was no time to launch the lifeboats. Two officers and four crewmen were lost, three of them on watch below. The survivors made landfall five miles northwest of Cape Maysi several hours later. They walked to the Cape and were taken in the Cuban schooner Zoila to Baracoa, Cuba, arriving on 13 July.