Observance Daily What day is today, and why are we celebrating it?
In the early hours of October 31, 1941, the American destroyer USS Reuben James was torpedoed by a German submarine near Iceland and sank within minutes, taking 100 crewmen with her. It was the first United States Navy ship lost to hostile action in World War II — 37 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, and before the United States had officially entered the war.
What happened
The Reuben James was on Neutrality Patrol and convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic in 1941, operating from Hvalfjordur, Iceland. On 23 October 1941 she sailed from Argentia, Newfoundland, escorting the eastbound Convoy HX-156. At about 05:25 on 31 October 1941, the German submarine U-552 fired a torpedo that struck the destroyer near Iceland. The ship’s magazine exploded, and the Reuben James sank quickly. Of her crew, 100 died and only 44 survived.
History and background
The Reuben James was a Clemson-class destroyer, designated DD-245. She was laid down on 2 April 1919, launched on 4 October 1919, and commissioned on 24 September 1920. She was named for Boatswain’s Mate Reuben James (c.1776–1838), a naval hero of the First Barbary War who famously threw himself between his commanding officer and an enemy blade.
By 1941 the aging destroyer had been pressed into the undeclared naval war in the Atlantic, where American warships escorted convoys carrying supplies to Britain while the United States was still officially neutral.
Why it matters
The sinking of the Reuben James brought the war home to Americans more than a month before Pearl Harbor. It was the first US Navy ship destroyed by enemy action in World War II, and the loss of 100 sailors shocked a nation that was still debating whether to enter the conflict. The destroyer’s fate became a rallying cry, remembered in Woody Guthrie’s song “The Sinking of the Reuben James,” and a grim preview of the sacrifices the coming war would demand.
Key facts
- Ship: USS Reuben James (DD-245), a Clemson-class destroyer.
- Sunk: 31 October 1941, at about 05:25, near Iceland.
- Cause: torpedoed by the German submarine U-552; the magazine exploded and the ship sank quickly.
- Casualties: 100 crew died, 44 survived.
- Mission: escorting eastbound Convoy HX-156; sailed from Argentia, Newfoundland, on 23 October 1941.
- Duty: Neutrality Patrol / convoy escort, based at Hvalfjordur, Iceland.
- Built: laid down 2 April 1919, launched 4 October 1919, commissioned 24 September 1920.
- Namesake: Boatswain’s Mate Reuben James (c.1776–1838) of the First Barbary War.
- Significance: first US Navy ship lost to hostile action in World War II — 37 days before Pearl Harbor, before the US had officially entered the war.
Frequently asked questions
Was the United States at war when the Reuben James sank?
No. The sinking happened on 31 October 1941, 37 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the US officially into World War II.
Who was Reuben James?
A Boatswain’s Mate (c.1776–1838) celebrated as a hero of the First Barbary War, for whom the destroyer DD-245 was named.
How many survived the sinking?
44 of the crew survived; 100 died when the torpedoed destroyer’s magazine exploded and she sank.