Your attempts to deal with to the torpedo fail. It's too fast to be hit by shellfire. It's acoustic guidance system isn't thrown off by your ship's maneuvers. Everyone on deck can only stare in horror as the torpedo slams into the stern of your ship! The impact throws men everywhere, slamming them into walls or knocking them into the water. Your head hits hard against a bulkhead. You are dazed, and the whole deck tilts crazily. There is a horrible shuddering and a tearing and grinding sound. Men are screaming in pain and terror. Your ship is sinking quickly by the stern. Soon the entire ship will slide under the waves.

The Captain orders the crew to abandon ship before the bow goes down as well. There's no time to lower the boats. Everyone ties on a life jacket and throws anything that might float overboard. Your mind is in shock. Many of your friends are gone. You can't believe how quickly everything happened. You jump into the icy water, find a life preserver to grab on to and swim away from the ship as quickly as possible.

As your ship's bow slips under water. You are pulled down by the tremendous suction effect from the sinking ship. Your last sensations are of freezing cold water, of lungs heaving to breathe air that isn't there, and of a terrible pain in your ears. You struggle against the suction and slowly fight your way back to the surface. You can breathe! You're alive! You hear other men caling out in the water.

Soon you are pulled into a rescue boat - shivering, in shock, but still alive. For years after you are troubled by nightmares of that horrible day, and how helpless you felt.