Shadows of War
In the years of European warfare between
1939 and December 7, 1941, the German U-Boat menace became a
deadly noose around the Island nation of Great Britain. So
thoroughly was the German blockade prosecuted that Prime Minister
Winston Churchill proclaimed it his "greatest worry".
German submarines roamed nearly unmolested, silently stalking
convoys of urgently needed supplies making their way to England,
and sending tons of shipping to the ocean floor with deadly
Germany and Italy declared war on the United
States on December 11, 1941, only days after the attack at Pearl
Harbor prompted the U.S. Congress to declare war on Japan.
Immediately after that German declaration, the United States
Congress granted President Roosevelt a declaration of war against
Germany and Italy, confronting our nation with a two-front war.
While the early battles in the Pacific
dominated the news, and while within a year the American landings
in North Africa signaled the opening of that second offensive
front, little is often recalled of the battle at home. But World
War II was NOT entirely a war fought on foreign shores. There were
of course, the battles fought on American soil at Pearl Harbor,
Guam, and even in the Territory of Alaska. But often forgotten is
the fact that some of the war's most costly battles were also
fought along the eastern seaboard of the United States.
The first American offensive action against
a German submarine occurred as early as April 10, 1941. On that
date the U.S.S. Niblack (DD-424) was conducting reconnaissance off
the coast of Iceland when the destroyer located three life boats
containing survivors from a recently torpedoed Dutch freighter.
While attempting a rescue, a German submarine was detected, and
appeared to be moving in to attack. The American commander ordered
a depth charge attack, his pre-emptive actions driving off the
enemy sub in what was probably the first clash between American
and German forces (excluding the Eagle Squadron pilots who flew
during the Battle of Britain) in World War II.
Again, on September 4, 1941, an American
destroyer and a German U-Boat engaged each other near Iceland. The
U.S.S. Greer successfully evaded two German torpedoes and dropped
19 depth charges, becoming the first American ship to offensively
attack German forces in a war that had not yet begun. Following
the U.S.S. Greer incident, President Roosevelt ordered all U.S.
Naval vessels to attack any ship that threatened American shipping
or the shipping of a foreign nation under escort by American
headline announcing the German attack on the U.S.S. Kearny
(DD-432) was more than another detail of war on the American home
front. For the United States, World War II had not yet even begun.
On October 16, 1942, the Kearny was one of
five American destroyers that raced to the site of German U-Boat
attacks on a convoy near Iceland. On the following day Commander
Anthony L. Danis daringly maneuvered his ship to protect the
convoy, suffering a direct torpedo hit on the starboard side that
killed eleven American sailors and wounded twenty-two. Danis, his
Engineering Officer Lieutenant Robert Esslinger, and Chief
Machinist's Mate Aucie McDaniel earned the Navy Cross for their
actions to get their wounded vessel safely to port.
Two weeks later the U.S.S. Salinas (AO-19),
an oiler based out of Argentia, Newfoundland, was returning to
the United States when it was struck by two German torpedoes.
Though no Americans were killed in the attack, one sailor was
wounded and the ship was badly damaged in the October 30, 1941,
incident that earned the ship's Commanding Officer and four
members of his crew the Navy Cross.
The following day while the Salinas was
limping for port, the U.S.S. Reuben James (DD-245) was escorting a
convoy from Halifax, Nova Scotia, when it was attacked by the
German U-552 and sunk. Only 44 men of the 159 members of the
crew survived, nearly a quarter of the survivors suffering wounds.
The Reuben James was the first American ship lost in combat in
World War II, and the United States was STILL not even at war.
The prelude to war should have served as
ample warning as to what lay in store once war was actually
declared. Less than a week after war was declared, Adolph Hitler
launched Operation Paukenschlag, a direct attack on shipping off
the American eastern seaboard. Five German U-Boats departed for
American waters between December 18 - 24, 1941, arriving to begin
operations by mid-January. On January 11 the U-123 sank the SS
Cyclops less than 300 miles east of Cape Cod. Over the following
weeks the Paukenschlag U-Boats scored near-daily victories along
the American coast. Twenty-five American ships were lost in 26
Death of a Lady
Reports of the casualties were crushing to
the American public, already reeling from the daily bad news
coming from the Pacific War. But the bad news on this this other
front carried with it a unique undercurrent to feed American
fears. The ships sinking, planes falling, and soldiers dying in
the face of the Japanese offensive were far away. The casualties
being suffered to Hitler's U-Boats were close to home; so close,
that the fires of burning and sinking American ships could be seen
along the coast at night. An American fisherman who made his
living from the sea was now also vulnerable to the enemy when he
ventured out to his daily job.
reality of the danger to civilians became poignantly clear on
January 19. Three days earlier the Canadian Steamship "Lady
Hawkins" had departed Halifax for Bermuda, stopping at Boston
en route to pick up additional passengers. The course was a normal
route for the luxury liner that carried primarily civilian
tourists, crew and passengers numbering some 300 on this trip.
Among them were 40 young men from St. Joseph, Missouri, who had
boarded for passage to promised construction jobs awaiting their
arrival in Bermuda.
With the threat of German U-Boats
increasing, the captain hugged the American coast line as far as
Cape Hatteras before making his eastward turn towards Bermuda.
Shortly after midnight on January 19, the "Lady Hawkins"
was briefly illuminated by a bright search light from U-66, and,
moments later shuddered under the impact of two torpedoes. Though
the ship was only 130 miles from land, most of those aboard her
were doomed. Six life boats were destroyed by the torpedoes, and
only 76 survivors managed to crowd into the only remaining life
boat, which rated a maximum capacity of 63 persons.
For five days the survivors languished at
sea, surviving on a ration of one biscuit, one-quarter of a cup of
water, and two teaspoons of condensed milk. Five died during the
ordeal before the S.S. Coamo spotted the life boat and took the 71
survivors, including a two-year-old girl, aboard on January 24.
Only thirteen of the 40 young men from St. Joseph survived,
prompting the local newspaper to write, "May the U-Boat
that struck by stealth, bringing death to more than a score of St.
Joseph citizens, meet with such a fate."
The death of the "Lady Hawkins"
and the loss of more than 200 civilians only heightened the fear
at home in the United States. To make matters worse, the same day
that the story of the Canadian ship's fate reached the press, a
Coast Guard ship arrived at Chincoteague, Virginia, bearing
eleven survivors of the American merchant ship "Francis E.
Powell". (Seventeen other survivors were also picked up by the
tanker "W. C. Fairbanks" and returned to shore in
Delaware). The Powell had been en route from Port Arthur, Texas,
to Providence, Rhode Island, when it was attacked and sunk on
January 27 by U-130. The news gave credibility to the rumors that
at least two German submarines were operating in the Gulf of
Time magazine subsequently reported that "U.S.
and Allied ships were being sunk at a disastrous rate, probably
equal to the rate at which new ones were being commissioned.
Submarines had to be sunk faster than Adolf Hitler could turn them
out, complete with trained crews....Off the southeastern coast, a
U-Boat slipped in shore and sank two barges and a tug with
gunfire. She stood so close by that the barge crews could hear the
commands of the officers on her deck.
World War II had indeed
reached the American Home Land!
Ships Sunk by U-66 during Operation
1942 - Allen Jackson (American - 6,635 Tons)
January 19, 1942 - Lady Hawkins (Canadian - 7,988 Tons)
January 22, 1942 - Olympic (Panamanian - 5,335 Tons)
January 24, 1942 - Venore (American - 8,017 Tons)
January 24, 1942 - Empire Gem (British - 8,139 tons)
Donald Francis Mason was a U.S. Navy pilot
with Patrol Squadron Eight-Two (VP-82), stationed at Argentia, Newfoundland.
The 28-year old enlisted man was rated Aviation Machinist's Mate
First Class, and piloted a Lockheed "Hudson" PBO-1. The
plane carried a crew of three, AMM1c Algia Baldwin as Co-Pilot,
AMM2c Albert Zink as Plane Captain, and Radioman Charles Mellinger.
Shortly after 1:00 p.m. on January 28,
1942, Mason and his crew took off for what was a continuing series
of anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic waters that had
already become known as "Torpedo Alley". For two hours
the PBO-1 droned over empty waters. As was all too often the case,
the long but important patrols were mundane. On this afternoon
however, an unexpected flash of light was spotted on the surface
of the dark and rough open waters of the Atlantic. Banking
quickly, the crew noticed a periscope protruding above the waves,
a distinct wake trailing behind.
Without hesitation, AMM1c Mason launched his
attack, bearing in on the enemy submarine that apparently did not
realize it had been spotted. The subsequent report filed by Patrol
Squadron Eighty-Two Commander W. L. Erdmann vividly explained the
combat action in brief but precise terms:
UNITED STATES ATLANTIC FLEET
PATROL WING EIGHT
PATROL SQUADRON EIGHTY-TWO
Argentia Air Detachment
January 30, 1942
From: Commander Patrol Squadron
To: Commander-in-Chief, U.S.
Via: Official Channels.
Report of Engagement with Enemy Submarine on January 28, 1942
Plane turned and attacked at once.
Submarine was apparently completely surprised, as periscope
was visible throughout entire attack. Approach was made
from astern submarine on a course about 20 degrees across
submarine's course. Bombs were released at estimated
altitude of 25 feet, indicated air speed 165 knots. Two
bombs were dropped with a spread of about 25 feet.
Plumes of the explosions were seen to spread,
one on either side of periscope, estimated distance 10 feet
from wake line and nearly abreast the periscope. The
submarine was lifted bodily in the water until most of the
conning tower could be seen. Headway of submarine seemed
to be killed at once and she was observed to sink from sight
vertically. Five minutes later, oil began to bubble to
the surface and continued for ten minutes. At this time
it was necessary to leave area in order to return to base by
dark. Plane landed at 1628.
Detailed employment of crew during bombing
attack was as follows:
(1) Pilot at the controls:
(2) Co-pilot in the cockpit alongside
the pilot, armed bombs, stood by manual release.
(3) Plane Captain attempted to take
photographs of target with F-48 camera during glide approach
and after attack. Pictures of this attack were poor because of
greatly reduced lighting conditions.
(4) Radioman in bow at the
Navigator's Desk, acting as lookout with binoculars.
W. L. ERDMANN
On February 9 Vice Admiral Royal E.
Ingersoll, Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet forwarded
reports of the January 28 attack on the German submarine to the
Navy Department, noting: "In my opinion the pilot of this
plane, who sank a submarine almost single handed, should be
awarded a decoration of some sort." It was the kind of
good news the people at home desperately needed; the sinking was a
sign that Hitler's U-Boat menace in the Western Hemisphere could
be confronted and defeated.
In fact, the Navy did not officially release
news of that action until April 1. Then it was brief and to the
"In his first
success, announced February 26, Ensign Mason was patrolling when
he observed the wake of a submarine proceeding submerged at
periscope depth. He turned, dove to a low altitude and dropped
two depth bombs, straddling the periscope. The conning tower of
the submarine bounded clear of the water for a short period then
sank. A large patch of oil soon covered the area."
Security aside, nearly TWO MONTHS earlier TIME
magazine published a hint of what little was known of that
action, at the time believed to be the first American sinking of
an enemy submarine. In the February 9, 1942, edition, TIME reported
the tragedy of the "Lady Hawkins" in a story titled
"End of a Lady". The somber report referenced the loss
of the "Francis E. Powell" as well, further noting that,
"Reports that two Axis submarines are operating in the
Gulf of Mexico brought a complete blackout along 100 miles of
Those anxious Americans who so desperately
needed hope to cling to, found it in the closing three sentences
of the article, which quoted ONLY from a four word report radioed
back to his base by Mason following his encounter in the Atlantic
"The success of
counter-measures was the Navy's own secret. Just one hint was
allowed to slip through. The Navy released a terse report of one
"Sighted sub, sank
For his actions on January 28, 1942,
Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class Mason was promoted to Aviation
Chief Machinist's Mate and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Post-war records ultimately revealed
that NO German submarine was sank on January 28, 1942. The U-85 was
subsequently sunk by the destroyer U.S.S. Roper in a night surface
action off the coast of North Carolina on April 14,