Sinking of the USS Reuben James OCT 31, 1941

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQxcxn-F17o

Turn on your speakers!

Hopefully the above link will work for you. For those that don't know the history the USS Reuben James DD 245, was a WW 1 Clemsen class "flush deck Four Piper". She was on Neutality Patrol with a convoy in the Atlantic when sunk by a German U Boat. The date was Oct 31, 1941, the USA did not enter hostilities (officially) until after Peral Harbor was attacked, on Dec 7, 1941.

I recently met a crewman ( Enginman) of the USS Niblack DD 424 which also was in that same convoy a stern of the Rueben James when she was torpedoed. When the Reuben James was torpedoed and sunk with large lost of life the USS Niblack stopped to render aid and rescue survivors ( this was because we weren't at war- yet). After the War the captain of the German U Boat became an Admiral in the post war German Navy. It was then he revealed that he also had the USS Niblack in his sights but decided not to sink her as she was conducting a humanitarian rescue operation. There would be more opportunities to sink Allied ships later.

This Oct 31 is the 69th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Reuben James and loss all but 44 of her crew.

I have never heard of this song before and the tribute to these sailors seemed appropriate to pass along.

Bob B.

There was a US postal stamp issued with a picture of the sinking

Didn't know that! Thanks, Bob B.

Belated ump for Vet's Day.
Some very cool chivalry on the Uboot captain's part.
Some radio stations play various versions of the Reuben James and the Ballad of the Greenland Whalers back to back .

Leaves an ache even today in the heart to think of all the fine young men lost but nothing like that of their mothers. As an aside, I am reminded of the "Rest ye oars, mates." as a tribute to sailors lost in battle in WWI.

guys,
the Reuben James was song we used to sing when I was a college kid. It wasn't until later I learned the full story and could put it into context. if Roosevelt had thought we were ready for war, sinking the Reuben James would have been the casus belli - like the Maddox in the Vietnam War. We were still officially neutral, but there was no question by that time which side we were on.

"Tell me what were their names
tell me what were their names,
did you have a friend on the good ship Reuben James?
Well she flew the stars and stripes of the land of the free
and she went to her grave at the bottom of the sea"


jn

Very interesting thread. The third USS REUBEN JAMES (FFG 57) is still serving with the fleet today - her motto is "Back with a vengeance!" I've had several friends serve in her over the years, and was slated to serve as her Chief Engineer a few years ago, until the Navy diverted me to take over as Chief Engineer of a destroyer instead. Her website, which includes a lot of information about her two previous namesakes is here:

http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ff...s/default.aspx

I grew up listening to the kingston trio version of the song. I always liked it.
john

Navy Engineer: Thanks for the Reuben James history. Appreciate that.

The whole song. It was written by Woody Guthrie ..

Have you heard of a ship called the good Reuben James
Manned by hard fighting men both of honor and fame?
She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the free
But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.

Tell me what were their names, tell me what were their names,
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?
What were their names, tell me, what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James

Well, a hundred men went down in that dark watery grave
When that good ship went down only forty-four were saved.
'Twas the last day of October we saved the forty-four
From the cold ocean waters and the cold icy shore.

It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
That we watched for the U-boats and waited for a fight.
Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared
And they laid the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor.

Now tonight there are lights in our country so bright
In the farms and in the cities they're telling of the fight.
And now our mighty battleships will steam the bounding main
And remember the name of that good Reuben James.

Woody was behind FDR and the war against fascism, all the way.


jn