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The Story of the American Expeditionary Forces




U.S. Navy Insignia

Destroyer DD-61
USS Jacob Jones


Lost to U-Boat U-53

 


USS Jacob Jones
DD-61




Presented the Great War Society

The first Jacob Jones (DD-61) was laid down 3 August 1914 by New York Shipbuilding Corp.. Camden, N.J.: launched 29 May 1916; sponsored by Mrs. Jerome Parker Crittendon, great-granddaughter of Jacob Jones; and commissioned 10 February 1917, Lieutenant Cmdr. W. S. Pye in command. It was destined to be the first American destroyer lost to enemy fire.

After shakedown, Jacob Jones began training exercises off the New England coast until entering the Philadelphia Navy Yard for repairs. Upon the outbreak of war between the United States and Germany 6 April 1917, Jacob Jones patrolled off the Virginia coast before departing Boston for Europe 7 May.

Arriving Queenstown, Ireland, 17 May, she immediately began patrol and convoy escort duty in waters of the United Kingdom. On 8 July she picked up 44 survivors of the British steamship Valetta, the victim of a German U-boat. Two weeks later, while escorting British steamship Dafila, Jacob Jones sighted a periscope; but the steamship was torpedoed before an attack on the submarine could be launched. Once again a rescue ship, Jacob Jones took on board 25 survivors of the stricken Dapfila.


American Troops Aboard Ship

Throughout the summer the destroyer escorted supply laden convoys and continued rescue operations in submarine-infested waters. On 19 October she picked up 305 survivors of torpedoed British cruiser Orama. After special escort duty between Ireland and France, she departed Brest, France, 6 December on her return run to Queenstown. At 1621, as she steamed independently in the vicinity of the Isles of Scilly, her watch sighted a torpedo wake about a thousand yards distant. Although the destroyer maneuvered to escape, the high-speed torpedo struck her starboard side, rupturing her fuel oil tank. The crew worked courageously to save the ship; but as the stern sank, her depth charges exploded. Realizing the situation hopeless, Comdr. Bagley reluctantly ordered the ship abandoned. Eight minutes after being torpedoed, Jacob Jones sank with 64 men still on board.


U-53 Surrendering after the Armisice

The 38 survivors huddled together on rafts and boats in frigid Atlantic waters off the southwest coast of England. Two of her crew were taken prisoner by attacking submarine U-53 commanded by Kapitan Hans Rose. In a humanitarian gesture rare in modern war, Rose radioed the American base at Queenstown the approximate location and drift of the survivors. Throughout the night of 6 to 7 December British sloop-of-war Camellia and British liner Catalina conducted rescue operations. By 0830 the following morning HMS Insolent picked up the last survivors of Jacob Jones.

Know Survivors of the Jacob Jones

 

 OFFICERS:

 

  • Lieutenant Commander David Worth BAGLEY,  commander;  mother, Mrs A.W. Bagley, Washington, D.C.  (sister), Mrs. Josephine Daniels.
  • Lieutenant J.K. RICHARDS;  wife, Dorothy G. Richards, Washington, D.C.
  • Lieutenant Norman SCOTT;  father, Robert Scott, 118 North Main Street,
  • >
  • Ensign Nelson N. GATES;  aunt, Gertrude F. Gates, 1213 Center Avenue, Bay City, Mich.
  • Assistant Surgeon L.L. ADAMKIEWICZ;  mother, Victoria Adamkiewicz, Milwaukee, Wis.

     

 ENLISTED MEN:

  • Clarence E. McBRIDE; chief gunner's mate; wife, Florence McBride, 303 Graves Street, Syracuse, N.Y.
  • Ben (?) NUNNERY; coxswain; father, Fred Nunnery, Edgemoor, S.C. Lawrence G. KELLY; chief electrician; next of kin not given.
  • Joseph KORZENIECKY; fireman; mother, Anna Korzeniecky, Survive, Russia.
  • Charles E. PIERCE; fireman; mother, Jennie Pierce, Los Animas, Col.
  • Timothy Edward TWOMEY; seaman; mother, Nathalie Twomey, East Saugus, Mass.
  • John C. JOHNSON; seaman; mother, Louise Johnson, South Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  • Henry A. STUTZKE; chief machinist's mate; mother, Wilhelmina Stutzke, 2325 South Eighth Street, Philadelphia.
  • Edward F. GRADY; fireman second class; mother, Katherine M. Grady, Swampscott, Mass.
  • John J. MULVANEY; seaman; father, John Mulvaney, Van Nest, N.Y.
  • Myron FLOOD; seaman; father, Eugene E. Flood, Greenwich, Conn.
  • Chester B. LANEN; seaman; address not given.
  • Howard A. MEYER; fireman; mother, Rebecca Meyer, 421 Erie Street, White Haven, Pa.
  • Charles A. MASON; fireman; father, Charles Mason, West Lynn, Mass.
  • Harold W. AAGAARD; seaman; father, Peter Aagaard, 427 Franklin Street, Elizabeth, N.J.
  • Philip Jacob BURGER; seaman; mother, Elizabeth Burger, Lansingburgh, N.Y.
  • Charles CHARLESWORTH; boatswain's mate; wife, Anna C. Charlesworth, New York City.
  • David Roy CARTER; fireman; father, David A. Carter, Forsytha, Ga.
  • Howard U. CHASE; quartermaster; father, George C. Carter, Nantucket, Mass.
  • Charles CHILTON; gunner's mate; father, Robert Chilton, Rockland, Mass.
  • Joseph Arthur COSSAIRT; chief yeoman; uncle, Albert Cossairt, Bloomfield, Mo.
  • Clifton CRANFORD; electrician; mother, Fannie E. Cranford, Hatfield, Ark.
  • Clifford Vernon De FOREST; chief electrician; wife, Beulah de Forest, 525 West FiftySeventh Place, Chicago.
  • Restituto ECHON; mess attendant; father, Regeno Echon, Samar, P.I.
  • Gustave EULITZ, Jr.; seaman; father, Gustave Eulitz, 317 Delmar Street, Philadelphia.
  • Albert Lewis EVERROAD; seaman; father, Willard Everroad, North Vernon, Ind.
  • Edward Wallace FENTON; seaman; mother, Marie Stevens, 209 Paterson Avenue, New Castle, Pa.
  • Harry Louis GIBSON; boatswain's mate; wife, Susan G. Gibson, 5911 Market Street, Philadelphia.
  • Boyd Hartell HAMP; electrician; mother, Minnie Belden, Cashmere, Wash.
  • William Penn HUGHES; carpenter's mate; wife, Mrs. William P. Hughes, 1011 Washburn Street, Scranton, Pa.
  • Lawrence HANSEN; apprentice seaman; father, Albert Hansen, Chicago.
  • Patrick Henry JUDGE; fireman; father, Stephen Judge, Mitchell, S.D.
  • Henry Joseph MALETZ; seaman; father, Wallace Maletz, Bound Brook, N.J.
  • Donat MARCHARD; seaman; father, Eugene Marchard, Fall River, Mass.
  • Edward MEIER; water tender; father, John F. Meier, Bay City, Mich.
  • Ernest H. PENNINGTON; attendant, first class; wife, Grace F. Pennington, 1723 North FiftySecond Street, West Philadelphia.
  • Conrad STREEB; gunner's mate; wife, Clara Agnes Streeb, East Lynn, Mass.
  • Terrell Read WOOD; electrician; wife, Albina Wood, New York.

From Public Ledger Newspaper, Philadelphia, PA

Monday Morning, 10 Dec 1917.  Donated by Mrs. Joseph Eulitz.  Note, the survivor Gustave Eulitz Jr. 18951973]  was her husband's father.



Sources and thanks: The data, photo and article are from ANFS Online, The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Contributor Ray Mentzer helped with the photos.



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