The naval battle of Casablanca delayed the unloading of the cargo in the USS Tasker H. Bliss.The American forces in this battle consisted of 35 thousand men led by Major General George S. Patton and Rear Admiral Henry K. Hewitt. The conflict officially started on November 8th, 1942, when the United States attacked Vichy forces and landed men on Fedala that morning.
While the USS Tasker H. Bliss was riding at anchor, the ship was attacked by the U-130, a German submarine commanded by Ernst Kals on November 12, 1942. The U-130 hit two other ships as well: the Edward Rutledge (AP-52) and the Hugh L. Scott (AP-43). These two ships sank quickly and were abandoned. The Tasker H. Bliss, however, burned for several hours and then sank at 0230 the next morning. Many of the soldiers were rescued by the Elizabeth C. Stanton when the ship was abandoned, and most of them survived. Unfortunately for Evans, he suffered severe burns from the attack that proved fatal and died five days after his rescue on November 17, 1942.