At 03.38 hours on 4 July 1942 the unescorted and unarmed Norlandia (Master Herbert Elvin Callis) was torpedoed by U-575 about 25 miles northeast of Cape Samana, San Domingo. The torpedo struck on the starboard side between the engine room and the #3 hatch. The explosion tore up the deck, destroyed the radio room, jammed the machinery and caused the ship to flood rapidly, sinking by the stern after 15 minutes. The 21 survivors among the crew of eight officers and 22 crewmen abandoned ship in two lifeboats and were later questioned by Heydemann, who expressed regret at having to sink an American ship and gave them a bottle of German brandy before leaving. He reported the ship erroneously as the Panamanian steam merchant Portland. One boat with 14 survivors landed after 18 hours at Samaná, Dominican Republic, while the other boat arrived 12 hours later.