▁ 9 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁blow ing ▁the ▁ship ▁apart . ▁The ▁crew , ▁ 4 2 ▁mer ch ants , ▁ 2 7 ▁US ▁Navy ▁Ar med ▁Guard ▁and ▁six ▁passengers ▁were ▁never ▁found . ▁The ▁ship ▁s ank ▁near ▁the ▁M ald ives ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean , ▁at ▁ ▁). ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁due ▁in ▁make ▁port ▁in ▁Col om bo , ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁From ▁Col om bo ▁she ▁was ▁to ▁continue ▁to ▁Kar achi , ▁Pakistan ▁and ▁Cal cut ta , ▁India . ▁ ▁All ▁the ▁missing ▁crew ▁were ▁declared ▁dead ▁on ▁January ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁Later ▁a ▁crew ▁member ▁of ▁U - 5 1 1 , ▁Hein z ▁Re h se , ▁reported ▁the ▁day ▁and ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁the ▁SS ▁Samuel ▁He int zel man ▁Some ▁Samuel ▁He int zel man ▁w reck age ▁parts ▁were ▁found ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁that ▁had ▁was hed ▁ash ore ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁Diego ▁Gar cia ▁Island , ▁an ▁at oll ▁just ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁equ ator ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁Indian ▁Ocean . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁Liber ty ▁ships ▁( S – Z ) ▁SS ▁E . ▁A . ▁Bry an ▁SS ▁Qu ina ult ▁Vict ory ▁Port ▁Chicago ▁dis aster ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Liber ty ▁Sh ips ▁built ▁by ▁California ▁Sh ip building ▁Cor