Naval battle between US and German forces
The action of 17 November 1917 was a naval battle of the First World War. The action was fought between a German U-boat and two United States Navy destroyers in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Action.
Based in Queenstown, Ireland, USS "Fanning" and her sister destroyer USS "Nicholson" patrolled the eastern waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Their mission was to escort convoys and rescue survivors of sunken merchant ships as well as to seek out and destroy German U-boats. While escorting the eight vessel convoy OQ-20 eastbound, the two destroyers made contact with an enemy submarine.
With Arthur S. Carpender commanding, at 4:10 on 17 November 1917, Coxswain Daniel David Loomis of the "Fanning" sighted "U-58", commanded by Kapitänleutnant Gustav Amberger, when the U-boat had surfaced to extend her periscope. The German submarine lined up for a shot at the British merchant steamer SS "Welshman" and almost immediately Officer of the Deck Lieutenant William O. Henry ordered the destroyer to make circles and engage.
At 4:00 "Fanning" dropped three depth charges, scoring a hit which shook up the U-boat well. Then USS "Nicholson" joined in the fighting, commanded by Frank Berrien, and dropped another depth charge herself. The Americans spotted "U-58" when it surfaced, and "Fanning" fired three shots with her stern gun. "Nicholson" struck the U-boat with at least one shot from her bow gun. The Germans unsuccessfully returned fire and surrendered at around 4:30. American fire had hit the submarine near its diving planes, making the sub unmaneuverable.
Kapitänleutnant Amberger ordered the ballast tanks blown and the submarine went up. Charges also knocked out the main generator aboard the "Fanning". If "U-58" had surfaced in a battle ready position, "Fanning" would have surely been attacked and possibly sunk. The German submariners surrendered and "Fanning" maneuvered to take prisoners. That ended the action with an American victory.
The "Fanning" and "Nicholson"'s sinking of "U-58" was one of only a few engagements of World War I in which U.S. Navy warships sank an enemy submarine. Also the first time U.S. ships sank a submarine in combat. Lieutenant William O. Henry and Coxswain Daniel Lommis both received a Navy Cross for their actions during their encounter with "U-58".
"Fanning" and "Nicholson" continued the war escorting and patrolling the North Atlantic, making several more inconclusive contacts with German submarines. Thirty-eight of the 40 crew members of the "U-58" survived to become prisoners of war in the United States.
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