Action of 17 November 1917
Encyclopedia
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 destroyer
s in the North Atlantic Ocean.
, 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 4:110 on November 17, 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 charge
s, 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. U-58 surfaced again and the Americans spotted her conning tower
with officers on deck and a crew manning the deck gun. Fanning engaged with her stern gun and fired three shots then Nicholson began firing with her bow gun and at lest one shot struck the U-boat. The Germans fired back but none of the rounds met their target. By 4:30 the Germans sailors surrendered and came out on deck with hands raised in the air. American fire had hit the submarine near its diving plane
s, making the ship unmanueverable.
Kapitänleutnant Amberger ordered the ballast tank
s 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 Nicholsons 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.
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
and two United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Navy destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Action
Based out of Queenstown, IrelandCobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
, USS Fanning
USS Fanning (DD-37)
The first USS Fanning was a modified in the United States Navy during World War I and later in the United States Coast Guard, designated as CG-11. She was named for Nathaniel Fanning....
and her sister destroyer USS Nicholson
USS Nicholson (DD-52)
USS Nicholson was an built for the United States Navy before the American entry into World War I. The ship was the second U.S...
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
Arthur S. Carpender
Arthur Schuyler Carpender , nicknamed "Chips", was an American vice admiral during World War II commanding US naval forces in the Southwest Pacific.-Family:...
commanding, at 4:110 on November 17, 1917, Coxswain
Coxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
Daniel David Loomis of the Fanning sighted U-58
SM U-58
|SM U-58 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.U-58 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. The boat was sunk with the loss of two men and the capture of the rest of the crew in the Action of 17 November...
, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Gustav Amberger, when the U-boat had surfaced to extend her periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
. The German submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
lined up for a shot at the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
merchant steamer SS Welshman and almost immediately Officer of the Deck
Officer of the Deck
Officer of the deck is a position in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard that confers certain authority and responsibility. The officer of the deck on a ship is the direct representative of the captain, having responsibility for the ship.-Overview:In port, the OOD is stationed on...
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
William O. Henry ordered the destroyer to make circles and engage.
At 4:00 Fanning dropped three depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s, scoring a hit which shook up the U-boat well. Then USS Nicholson joined in the fighting, commanded by Frank Berrien
Frank Berrien
Lieutenant Frank D. Berrien was the 13th head college football coach for the United States Naval Academy Midshipmen located in Annapolis, Maryland and he held that position for three seasons, from 1908 until 1910. His coaching record at United States Naval Academy was 21 wins, 5 losses, and 3 ties...
, and dropped another depth charge herself. U-58 surfaced again and the Americans spotted her conning tower
Conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
with officers on deck and a crew manning the deck gun. Fanning engaged with her stern gun and fired three shots then Nicholson began firing with her bow gun and at lest one shot struck the U-boat. The Germans fired back but none of the rounds met their target. By 4:30 the Germans sailors surrendered and came out on deck with hands raised in the air. American fire had hit the submarine near its diving plane
Diving plane
A diving plane, also known as a hydroplane, is a control surface found on submarines which allow the vessel to pitch its bow and stern up or down to assist in the process of submerging or surfacing the boat, as well as controlling depth when submerged....
s, making the ship unmanueverable.
Kapitänleutnant Amberger ordered the ballast tank
Ballast tank
A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or other floating structure that holds water.-History:The basic concept behind the ballast tank can be seen in many forms of aquatic life, such as the blowfish or argonaut octopus, and the concept has been invented and reinvented many times by...
s 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 Nicholsons sinking of U-58 was one of only a few engagements of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
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
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
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.
See also
- Action of 15 August 1915Ernest Martin JehanErnest Martin Jehan DSC was an officer in the Royal Navy during the First World War. Jehan is best known for the sinking of a German submarine by he and his crew aboard the smack Inverlyon...
- Action of 4 May 1917Action of 4 May 1917The Action of 4 May 1917 was a naval and air engagement of World War I in the North Sea. The action took place between the German Zeppelin LZ92 and the Australian light cruiser, HMAS Sydney.-Action:...
- Action of 15 October 1917Action of 15 October 1917The Action of 15 October 1917 was a naval engagement of World War I between Imperial Germany and the United States off the coast of Mind Head, Ireland.-Action:...
- Action of 8 May 1918Action of 8 May 1918The Action of 8 May 1918 was a small naval engagement which occurred off Algiers, North Africa during World War I. In the action, an American armed yacht and a British destroyer encountered the German U-boat...