USS Reuben James (DD-245) was a four-funnel that was constructed after World War I. She was the first United States Navy ship to be named after Boatswain's Mate Reuben James ( 1776–1838), who had distinguished himself fighting in the First Barbary War, and was the first US navy ship to be sunk by hostile action in the European Theater of World War II. Four US flagged merchant ships were also sunk by hostile action before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Reuben James was laid down on 2 April 1919 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey, launched on 4 October 1919, and commissioned on 24 September 1920. The destroyer was sunk by a torpedo attack from German submarine near Iceland on 31 October 1941,

Sinking

At dawn on 31 October 1941, she was torpedoed near Iceland by German submarine commanded by Erich Topp. Reuben James had positioned herself between an ammunition ship in the convoy and the known position of a German "wolfpack," a group of submarines poised to attack the convoy. The destroyer was not flying the ensign of the United States and was in the process of dropping depth charges on another U-boat when she was engaged. Reuben James was hit forward by a torpedo meant for a merchant ship and her entire bow was blown off when a magazine exploded. The bow sank immediately. The aft section floated for five minutes before going down. Of a crew of seven officers and 136 enlisted men, plus one enlisted passenger, 100 were killed. Only 44 enlisted men and no officers survived.

|from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war

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|HX 156

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|24–31 October 1941

|from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war; sunk by

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Awards

  • Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal
  • American Defense Service Medal with "FLEET" clasp and "A" device

Music

  • Woody Guthrie wrote the song "The Sinking of the Reuben James" and performed it with Pete Seeger and the other Almanac Singers. The Guthrie song has an original tune for its chorus, but its verses are set to the tune of the song "Wildwood Flower". Seeger later also performed the song with The Weavers.
  • Johnny Horton performed Guthrie's song on his album Johnny Horton Makes History.
  • The Kingston Trio released a version of Guthrie's song on numerous albums.
  • The Chad Mitchell Trio released a version of Guthrie's song on the album Reflecting.<!--http://www.akh.se/mitchell/sr60891.htm, retrieved 2012-11-27 - citation not found at this website -->

Literature

  • William Boyd in his novel Restless refers to the sinking of the ship, although he claims that the dead numbered 115.

Stamps

  • The United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp in 1991 as part of the set WWII, 1941: A World at War.

Television

  • In the episode of Foyle's War entitled "Invasion", an American army officer (Jay Benedict) states that his motive for joining up even before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was the death of his brother on the Reuben James.

See also

  • USS Panay incident

Notes

References

  • "Survivor Tells of Reuben James Sinking at Sea". St. Petersburg Times: St Petersburg, Florida. 25 November 1941.
  • "44 Members of Crew Saved off of Sunken U.S. Destroyer". The Evening Citizen: Ottawa, Ontario. 1 November 1941.
  • "Reuben James Hit in Atlantic Convoy Battle". The Milwaukee Journal: Milwaukee. 31 October 1941.
  • National Archives site with photo
  • Location of the sinking of the Reuben James on uboat.net