USS Reuben James ( DD - 245 ) USS " Reuben James " ( DD - 245 ) — a post - World War I , four - funnel " Clemson " - class destroyer — was the first United States Navy ship sunk by hostile action in World War II and the first named for Boatswain ' s Mate Reuben James ( " c " . 1776 – 1838 ) , who distinguished himself fighting in the Barbary Wars . " Reuben James " was laid down on 2 April 1919 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden , New Jersey , launched on 4 October 1919 , and commissioned on 24 September 1920 , with Commander Gordon W . Hines in command . The destroyer was sunk by a torpedo attack from German submarine on 31 October 1941 . Service history . Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet , " Reuben James " saw duty in the Mediterranean Sea in 1921 – 1922 . " Reuben James " sailed from Newport , Rhode Island , on 30 November 1920 , to Zelenika , Yugoslavia , arriving on 18 December . During the spring and summer of 1921 , she operated in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean out of Zelenika and Gruz , Yugoslavia , assisting refugees and participating in postwar investigations . In October 1921 at Le Havre , she joined the protected cruiser at ceremonies marking the return of the Unknown Soldier to the U . S . At Danzig , from 29 October 1921 to 3 February 1922 , she assisted the American Relief Administration in its efforts to relieve hunger and misery . After duty in the Mediterranean , she departed Gibraltar on 17 July . Based then at New York City , the ship patrolled the Nicaraguan coast to prevent the delivery of weapons to revolutionaries in early 1926 . In the spring of 1929 , she participated in fleet maneuvers that foreshadowed naval airpower . She was decommissioned at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , on 20 January 1931 . Recommissioned on 9 March 1932 , the ship again operated in the Atlantic and the Caribbean , patrolling Cuban waters during the coup by Fulgencio Batista . She transferred to San Diego in 1934 . Following maneuvers that evaluated aircraft carrier s , " Reuben James " returned to the Atlantic Fleet in January 1939 . World War II . Upon the outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939 , she joined the Neutrality Patrol , guarding the $ 3 and Caribbean approaches to the American coast . In March 1941 , " Reuben James " joined the convoy escort force established to promote the safe arrival of materiel to the United Kingdom . This escort force guarded convoys as far as Iceland , after which they became the responsibility of British escorts . Based at Hvalfjordur , Iceland , she sailed from Naval Station Argentia , Newfoundland , on 23 October , with four other destroyers to escort eastbound convoy HX 156 . At about 0525 on 31 October , while escorting that convoy , " Reuben James " was torpedoed by commanded by " Kapitänleutnant " Erich Topp near Iceland . " Reuben James " had positioned herself between an ammunition ship in the convoy and the known position of a " wolfpack " , a group of submarines that preyed on Allied shipping . " Reuben James " was hit forward by a torpedo and her entire bow was blown off when a magazine exploded . The bow sank immediately . The aft section floated for five minutes before going down . Of the 159 - man crew , only 44 survived . Cultural references . Woody Guthrie wrote the song " The Sinking of the Reuben James " . He performed the song with Pete Seeger and the other Almanac Singers . The Guthrie song has an original tune for its chorus , but its verses are set to the tune of the song " Wildwood Flower " . The song was performed by Johnny Horton on his album " Johnny Horton Makes History " . The Kingston Trio have released their version of the song on numerous albums ; the Chad Mitchell Trio released their version on " Reflecting " .