Evening star., 1941-10-15
British Plane Aided
Greer Against U-Boat
Stark S Report Says
Official Account of
Seq Attack Revealed
By Senator Walsh
~ the Associated Press.

~ tine Associated Press.
The Navys official account Of the
shooting clash between the U. S. S.
Greer and German submarine dis
closed today that report from a
British patrol plane put the de-
stroyer on the trail of the U-boat.
1t also fatty contradicted the Ger
man claim that the Greer started
dumping depth bombs on the sub
marine more than two hours before
the U-boat commander loosed his
frst torpedo.
The Navy stated that the torpedo
was fired first and eight minutes
later the first depth charges went
over the Greer's side.
The report on the encounter in the
North Atlantic was made public last
night by Chairman Walsh of the
Senate Naval Affairs Committee,
which requested the information
from Secretary of the Navy Knox.
1t was submitted in the form of
q statement by Admiral Harold r.
Stark, chief of naval operations, who
accompanied it with answers to a
series of questions propounded by
the committee with reference to
the incident.
Running Story of Clash.
The matter-of-fac recital gave
this running story of the encounter:
On September 4 the Greer was
blowing along en- route to Iceland
with United States mail, passengers
and some freight. She was ITS miles
southwest of the island and "di-
rectly in the path of communication
between American ports and Ice
land'-a lane which President
Roosevelt specifically ordered the
Navy on July 7 to keep free of all
hostile activity or threat thereof"
At $40 am British plane noti-
ned the Greer that submarine was
submerged 10 miles ahead directly
on the course the DESTROYER was
following.
The Greer Immediately crowded
on speed and zlgzagged her way to
the location reported. At 9:20, five
minutes after reaching the vicinity.
the destroyer's underwater sound
detection equipment picked up the
propeller beat of the submerged u
boat and started to trail it, broad
casting the submarines position.
This, said Admiral Stark was in
accordance with her orders, that is.
to give information but not to
attack"
Plane Withdraws.
No further assistance. meanwhile.
came from the patrol plane. How
ever, at 1892 the plane dropped
four depth charges which missed
their mark on the U-boat, and 20
minutes later withdrew from the
hunt.
The Greer clung tenaciously to
the trail of its quarry for hours
and % minutes, always maneuvering
to keep the U-boat ahead of it.
Then at l2:40 pm. the game of
eand-seek became grimmer-
the submarine changed course and
closed on the Greer.
At 12::48 an air bubble broke the
surface of the sea not far from the
Greer-a sign that a torpedo had
been fired. A minute later the
feathery wake of its track was
sighted. but the aim was bad and
the torpedo passed 100 yards astern
Of the destroyer.
At 1886 the Greer counterat-
tackled with eight depth charges.
CThe German communique on Sep
tember 6 claimed that the depth
charges were dropped at 1890. but
the Uboat held its fire until 2:19)
The track of the second torpedo
was sighted 500 yards away at 1888
In time for the Greer to maneuver
out of its way. This time the Greer
sent II depth charges hurtling into
the sea, but, without observing any
signs that would indicate hit.
Rejected British Offer.
During this attack q British
destroyer was in sight five miles
away and inquired if the United
States vessel wished to conduct a
co-ordinated hunt for the U-boat.
The Greer answered: NO" and the
Britisher left the scene.
The Greer continued its search
until 6 pm. and then resumed its
voyage to Iceland.
At no time was the submarines
periscope visible This fact, coupled
with the bad craftsmanship. led to
the belief that the torpedoes were
fired blindly by listening devices.
President Roosevelt mentioned this
possibility in his shoOt-on-Sight
speech September II. He said if the
submarine had seen its would-be
prey, the attack was deliberate at
tempt to sink plainly identified
American warShip.
"On the other hand" he went
on. ''if the submarine was beneath
the surface and, with the aid of its
listening devices, fired in the direc-
ton of the sound of the American
destroyer without taking the trouble
To learn its identity. then the attack