South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-25
DESTROYERS
SEND U-BOAT
TO HER DOOM
Two American WarShipS Make
Quick and Neat Job of
Sinking Big Sub
marine.
Associated Press Service

Associated Press Service
BASE OF THE AMERICAN FLO
TILL4A IN BRITISH WATERS,
Nov. 24.-The American destroyers
which were responsible for the lat
est sinking of a German submarine
have returned 70 their base with
Flags flying. Their victory over the
U-boat was one of the cleanest
neatest and quickest pieces of anti
submarine work yet recorded BY
the American squadron.
The submarine was disabled by a
depth charge, rose to the surface
three minutes after the charge was
fired, hung hesitatingly at the sur
face for a moment and then sank
to the final place of lodgment at
the bottom of the sea.
Make Job Complete.
The pressure of water at the 200
feet or so depth at which she sank,
soon completed the work of de-
struction on the strained plates Of
the submarines hull. For a long
time bubbles and oil continued 10
rise in great gulps from the grave
where she lay and then the Amer
leans made assurance complete in
manner of which it is unneces-
sary 10 go into detail.
1t was daylight with good visibil-
ity when the periscOpe was sighted
by the lookout of a destroyer, which
with a sister craft, was engaged in
its customary duties. The sub
marine commander was just pre-
pairing 70 fire a torpedo either at
one OF the destroyers or at a
| merchantmen nearby.
Periscope is Sighted.
"Periscope two points off the
starboard bow" sang out a look
out in a voice which could be heard
from end to end of the craft. IN
stantly an alarm 10 general quarters
was sounded and the helm thrown
hard over.
signal flags were swung out no
tifying the sister ship Of the exact
location Of the enemy At the
same time the heliograph began its
| staccatO flashing of orders for a
combined attack.
i A scant IS inches of periscope
I had shown above the surface of
| the sea, 400 yards distant for a
/ few instants and then vanished. In
| less time than il takes 70 tell. the
! destroyer. under the Impetus OF
/ suddenly. opened throttles, had fair
/ " leaped into the track where the
/ periscope had disappeared.
Release Depth Bomb.
At the proper moment the com
mander on the bridge released
depth charge from its fixed place
| The powerful explosive. 800 pound.
| in weight in its steel case. sanl
with a little splash into the de
! stroyer's wake and al the regulated
] depth responded TO the bidding o
/ its valves and burst in terrific eX
! plosion A vast extent of watel
| was upheaved and rose in a column
TO a great height That the chars'
! had found its mark was shown b.
a mass of oil and bubbles whic.
marked the spot as the water founC
/ its level.
Meanwhile a second destroye
| passed through the boiling. OIL
waters and dropped a second dept
| charge and then followed the Tao
tics OF the first destroyer in circlin;
the spot. The two destrOyers die
not have long 10 wait. In less thar
! three minutes there was a rush o
water and the U-boat, whale-lik'
! came Ia the surface not more thar
400 yards from the first destroyer
Explosive Does Work.
The Americans were taking n'
chances on a German trick Tn
gun crews stood with their gun
and torpedo tubes trained on tn
stricken enemy ready 20 let loos
a shower Of steel in ease the SUD
marine showed fsht But the Z
boat was badly stricken, the ex
/ plosive charge had done its worI
thoroughly. Although the uppe
part Of the boat appeared 90 nav
been untouched. IL was evident iron
her actions that the submarine wa
unmanage. ble. she was badly listed