Sunday, October 31, 2004

[1941 - German sub (U-552) sinks USS Reuben James (DD-245)- 115 lives are lost
- First U.S. Navy ship lost to enemy action World War II]

What Were Their Names?

Rueben James was one of our "four-piper" destroyers, built for speed and maneuverability - not survivability. These ships, even as our current day destroyers, were in their time the unarmored greyhounds of the sea. When Reuben James went down with the tragic loss of 115 of ship's company, war between the US and Germany had not yet been declared.

Tell me, what were their names.
Tell me, what were their names.
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

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