Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945

DD-245 USS Reuben James

Clemson Class Destroyer:
Displacement: 1,190 tons
Length: 314'4"
Beam: 30'8"
Draft: 9'3"
Speed: 35 knots
Armament: 4 4"/50, 1 3"/23, 12x3 21" torpedo tubes; or 6 3"/50, 6 21" torpedo tubes
Complement: 149
Geared turbine engines, twin screws, 27,000 h.p.
Built at New York Ship Building Corp. and commissioned 24 September 1920

: Torpedoed 31 Oct 41 by U-552 while escorting convoy HX-156 across the North Atlantic, Reuben James was arguably the 1st American combatant sunk by deliberate enemy action (if one accepts the Japanese apologies for the Panay).

Additional Links:

"Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships" -- USS Reuben James
Casualty Report for the sinking
Survivor's account of the sinking
For additional photos, see the Main Page.
For crew lists, and reunions see the Veterans Info Page.
For ship's logs and personnel records, see the Reference Page.

Torpedoed

The Sinking of the Reuben James

Verse 1: Chorus:

Have you heard of a ship called the good Reuben James, Tell me, what were their names, tell me, what were their names?

Manned by hard-fighting men, both of honor and of fame? Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

She flew the stars and stripes of the land of the free, What were their names, tell me, what were their names?

But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea. Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Verse 2: Verse 3:

One hundred men went down to their dark watery grave; It was there in the dark of that uncertain night

When that good ship went down, only forty-four were saved. That we watched for the U-boat and waited for a fight.

'Twas the last day of October that they saved forty-four Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared,

From the cold icy waters by the cold Iceland shore. And they laid the Reuben James on the cold ocean floor.

Verse 4:

Well, many years have passed since those brave men are gone,

And those cold icy waters are still and they're calm.

Many years have passed, but still I wonder why

The worst of men must fight and the best of men must die.

The Sinking of the Reuben James
Verse 1:	Chorus:
Have you heard of a ship called the good Reuben James,	Tell me, what were their names, tell me, what were their names?
Manned by hard-fighting men, both of honor and of fame?	Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?
She flew the stars and stripes of the land of the free,	What were their names, tell me, what were their names?
But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.	Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Verse 2:	Verse 3:
One hundred men went down to their dark watery grave;	It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
When that good ship went down, only forty-four were saved.	That we watched for the U-boat and waited for a fight.
'Twas the last day of October that they saved forty-four	Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared,
From the cold icy waters by the cold Iceland shore.	And they laid the Reuben James on the cold ocean floor.

Verse 4:
Well, many years have passed since those brave men are gone,
And those cold icy waters are still and they're calm.
Many years have passed, but still I wonder why
The worst of men must fight and the best of men must die.

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Last updated: 13 August 2009

Compiled and formatted by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation
(see the Main Page for sources and methodology)