▁tank er , ▁Sol or , ▁and ▁the ▁US ▁steam ship , ▁Rub en ▁D ario , ▁were ▁tor ped o ed . ▁The ▁dam aged ▁ships ▁were ▁able , ▁however , ▁to ▁reach ▁har bour . ▁ ▁O NS - 4 0 ▁was ▁met ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 5 th . ▁This ▁con voy ▁was ▁badly ▁scattered ▁by ▁strong ▁wind s , ▁but ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁reform ▁with ▁impro ving ▁weather . ▁ ▁X B - 1 4 4 ▁was ▁esc orted ▁to ▁Boston ▁and , ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁B X - 1 4 4 . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁W - 2 ▁left ▁Hal if ax ▁with ▁H H X - 3 3 8 . ▁The ▁subsequent ▁voyage ▁was ▁a ▁routine ▁one , ▁although ▁Border ▁C ities ▁obtained ▁a ▁bearing ▁on ▁a ▁doubt ful ▁sub marine ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 6 th . ▁The ▁group ▁was ▁met ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁by ▁the ▁mid - o cean ▁group ▁C - 5 . ▁Since ▁the ▁ship ▁had ▁to ▁pass ▁over ▁con voy ▁papers ▁to ▁the ▁fr ig ate , ▁she ▁approached ▁her ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁position ▁sufficiently ▁close ▁to ▁her ▁to ▁fire ▁the ▁papers ▁across ▁to ▁her ▁by ▁gun . ▁The ▁attempt ▁was ▁un success ful , ▁due ▁to ▁heavy ▁following ▁se as ▁and ▁violent ▁squ alls . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁a ▁wind ▁which ▁was ▁dead ▁ast ern , ▁Border ▁C ities ▁could ▁not ▁ste er