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Reuben James
was decommissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 20 January 1931 and
recommissioned there on 9 March 1932.
USS Reuben James (Lt.Cdr. Heywood Lane
Edwards, USN) was escorting convoy HX-156 with four other destroyers of
the US Escort Group 4.1.3. and at 0834 hours was hit by a torpedo in
position 51º59'N, 27º05'W, which ignited the ammunition in the forward
magazine. The explosion split the ship in two, the forward section sank
immediately taking all hands on that part of the ship with her. As the
stern sank the depth charges exploded and killed some survivors in the
water. The destroyer USS Niblack (DD 424) rescued 36 men (one of them died
of wounds on 2. November) and USS Hilary P. Jones (DD 427) picked up 10
more. 115 of the crew were killed including
all the officers.
Hit by U-boat
Sunk on 31 Oct 1941 by U-552 (Topp). |