João de Oliveira Correia was one of three survivors from the attack on the Panamanian ship Longtaker, torpedoed by the U-38 on 18 August 1941. As a result of the attack, 24 crew members died, including four Portuguese.

One of the Portuguese citizens who disappeared was Raul José de Oliveira Correia, brother of João Oliveira. Bernardino Moreira da Silva, José Tomás and A. L. Marques were also declared dead.

As reported by the press at the time, João could not find a job in Portugal, so he left for the United States of America to join his brother. Raul was in that country after having disembarked from the Portuguese steamer San Miguel after problems with another crew member.

On 5 August João sent a letter to his mother revealing that both had found work on board the Panamanian steamer Sessa (the former name of Longtaker), with salaries between 80 and 100 dollars a month.

The Longtaker was a Danish ship with the name Sessa that laid up in New York. On August 2, 1941 the ship was taken over the US Maritime Commission and registered under the Panamanian flag with the name Longtaker.

At 2.50 am on 18 August the ship was hit by two torpedoes fired by U-38. It took about a minute to sink. Six crew members managed to reach a lifeboat, but three died before being discovered by the American destroyer USS Lansdale on September, 5.

Carlos Guerreiro