Evening star., 1942-03-03
Jacob Jones Struck
Twice; Only II Of
Crew Rescued

had been sunk by an enemy sub
marine off Cape May, N. j., Sat-
urday with the loss of more than
100 lives.
The vessel, which bore the
same name as the only American
destroyer sunk by a submarine
in the last war, carried a war
time complement of between l25
and 15C 4nen-of whom there
were only IL survivors.
A submarine that was not sighted
In advance hurled one torpedo in
the early dawn and the explosion
apparently killed all the personnel
on the bridge as well as the men
sleeping in the forward living COM
partments.
The second torpedo, which was
fired after the submarine circled
and put itself ahead of the Jacob
Jones, blew up the stern and all
the depth charges.
The only survivors, except one
man from the after engine room.
were in the amidships section when
the stern was blown up. The COM
manding officer of the Jacob Jones
was 1t. Comdr. H. D. Black of Ora
dell, N. j. Another officer was
1t. Comdr. Thomas w. Marshall
of Washington, whose family was
notified yesterday that he had been
killed in action.
Eleventh Navy Vessel Lost.
This was the 11th navy vessel
officially announced as lost, in
Guiding the Reuben James, a de-
stroyer which was sunk by a Ger
man submarine before our entry in
the war.
The others were: Three combat
ant type vessels, mine layer and
a target ship lost at Pearl Harbor;;
the tanker Neches. torpedoed in
unidentified waters; the Coast
Guard cutter Alexander Hamilton,
torpedoed off Iceland, and the de-
stroyer Truxtun and the supply
ship Pollux, lost in storm off New
foundland.
1llC OdSOU OOllCS " do a 4,SoO-VOiA
vessel, with a speed of 35 knots, a
four stacker of the type traded to
Great Britain for island bases. 1t
was laid down in February, 1918,
in the Camden yards of the New
York Shipbuilding Co. and COM
missioned in October. 1919, She
carried four 4-inch guns.
Communique Announces Loss.
The Navy communique No. SO, an
nouncing the loss of the Jacob Jones,
was based on reports received at the
Navy Department up to 10 Am. 1t
said:
Atlantic area-The U. S. S. ia
cob Jones, World War destroyer,
was sunk by an enemy submarine
off Cape May, N. j., just before dawn
on February %, 1912.
There we're only II survivors,
consisting of nine engine room rat
ings and two apprentice seamen.
Factual information in regard to the
circumstances that led to the sink
ing is sparse because of the lack OF
deck ratings among the survivors.
It has been established, however,
that prior to receiving the first tor
pedo hit the enemy submarine was
not sighted nor was the torpedo.
The first torpedo blew up the
bow and apparently killed all the
personnel on the bridge as we'll as
the men sleeping in the forward
living compartments The second
torpedo, which was fired after the
submarine circled ahead of the
Jacob Jones, blew up the stern and
all the depth charges.
The only survivors, except one
man from the after engine room,
were in the amidship section when
the stern was blown up.
The commanding officer of the
U. S. S. Jacob Jones was 1t. Comdr.
H. D. Black, United States Navy.
The next of kin of those lost have
been notified.
There is nothing to report from
other areas"
Black Native Of New Jersey.
Comdr. Black took command OF
the Jacob Jones April IA, 1941. He
was SO years old. A native OF New
Jersey he entered the Naval Acad-
envy from that State in 1922 and
was graduated in 1926, subsequently
serving with various surface craft
of the scouting fleet, battle fleet and
Asiatic fleet.
His first command was mine
sweeper, the Lark, which was at
tached to the minecraft, battle force,
based at Pearl Harbor. He cap
tanned that vessel from 1885 to jan
uary. 1898.
Subsequently, he was on duty in
the Bureau of Navigation here from
March to June, 1888, when he re-
ported at Harvard University for
service with the naval R. o. T. c.
unit.
In 1910 Comdr. Black was execu-
tive officer of the U. S. S. Benson
and cruised to French and Dutch
Guiana and made an inspection
ashore of the famous prison of Dev-
Ills Island.
The following year. while he was
still attached to the Benson, his ship
acted as an escort destroyer to the
(see JACOB JONES, Page A-6D