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Fact #58839

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Short story:

The USS Reuben James, a four-funnel Clemson-class destroyer, is torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-552, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp, near Iceland, Europe. Of the 159-man crew, only 44 survive. Reuben James thus becomes the first United States Navy ship sunk by hostile action in World War II. Woody Guthrie will write his song The Sinking Of The Reuben James in memory of this incident. The song will also be recorded by The Kingston Trio.