Off the coast of England, southwest of the Isles of Scilly the wreck of the US destroyer USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) has been discovered by divers. It was sunk while escorting a convoy by a torpedo from the German submarine U-53 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Hans Rose.
After the hit, the ship's commander, Lieutenant Commander David Worth Bagley immediately gave the order to abandon ship (or after finding it impossible to save the ship). But in the course of the evacuation, an ammunition explosion occurs moments later. This, combined with the speed of the sinking and also due to the wintry Atlantic weather, foreshadowed a great loss of life, with more than half the crew perishing.
Two of the survivors were picked up by a German submarine and radioed an SOS to alert a nearby American station (the destroyer lost her radio in the torpedo explosion).
This was the first US Navy ship lost in WWI and only 46 sailors survived out of a crew of 110 men.
British divers located the wreck approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast and at a depth of about 115 metres. No items were taken from the destroyer as a mark of respect and remembrance.
Source:
přřeživší z torpédoborce USS Jacob Jones (DD-61), 06.12.1917
U. S. Naval History and Heritage Command, NH 92064
After the hit, the ship's commander, Lieutenant Commander David Worth Bagley immediately gave the order to abandon ship (or after finding it impossible to save the ship). But in the course of the evacuation, an ammunition explosion occurs moments later. This, combined with the speed of the sinking and also due to the wintry Atlantic weather, foreshadowed a great loss of life, with more than half the crew perishing.
Two of the survivors were picked up by a German submarine and radioed an SOS to alert a nearby American station (the destroyer lost her radio in the torpedo explosion).
This was the first US Navy ship lost in WWI and only 46 sailors survived out of a crew of 110 men.
British divers located the wreck approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast and at a depth of about 115 metres. No items were taken from the destroyer as a mark of respect and remembrance.
Source:
www.navytimes.com
www.foxweather.com
nypost.com
přřeživší z torpédoborce USS Jacob Jones (DD-61), 06.12.1917
U. S. Naval History and Heritage Command, NH 92064