1.
“Have you heard of a ship called the good Reuben James,
Manned by hard fighting men both of honor and fame?”

2.
The USS Reuben James was a Clemson-
class destroyer, built just after World War
I in 1919.
Clemson-class, also known as four
stackers, were the most common destroyer
ever built by the US Navy, with 156 built,
until the Fletcher-class in World War II.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

3.
It was armed with 4, four-inch guns, and
12 torpedo tubes.
It also carried depth charges for anti-
submarine warfare.
The USS Reuben James was
commissioned on 24 September 1920.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

4.
The ship was named after Reuben
James, a sailor who gained fame for
stepping in front of Lieutenant Decatur
during a battle in the Barbary Wars and
taking a sword blow to the head that was
intended for Decatur, who went on to
gain great fame in the Navy.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

5.
Interestingly, it appears in
retrospect, that story might
be in error and another man
actually took the blow.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

6.
In 1921, she helped escort the remains of
the Unknown Soldier of World War I from
Europe back to the United States.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

7.
The Reuben James was
commanded by Lieutenant
Commander Heywood L.
Edwards. A 1926 graduate of the
United States Naval Academy,
Heywood had wrestled in the
1928 Summer Olympics, placing
4th in the light heavyweight
division.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

8.
Prior to the outbreak of World War II, she
was assigned to the Neutrality Patrol,
escorting convoys sailing to Great Britain.
They escorted as far as Iceland,
whereupon, security was taken over by
British ships.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

9.
23 October 1941 she was one of five
destroyers escorting convoy HX 156 from
Newfoundland.
As they approached Iceland and the
handoff, they were required to spend an
extra day in order to insure the task was
completed.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

10.
On 31 October 1941, Hallows Eve, the
USS Reuben James was torpedoed by U-
552, commanded by Erich Topp.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

11.
The torpedo hit the port bow, detonating
the forward magazine, blasting the
destroyer in two.
Every officer was killed.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

12.
The ship went down quickly.
Of 144 on board, there were 44 survivors.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

13.
Due to the fact that the United States was
not at war, the sinking caused a large
outcry.
However, it was not until 7 December,
over 5 weeks later, that the United States
entered World War II.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

14.
Woody Guthrie
wrote a song, The
Sinking of the
Reuben James.
The USS REUBEN JAMES

15.
“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.”
Woody Guthrie

16.
But what if the Reuben James encounter
with U-552 turns out to be something
altogether different?
The USS REUBEN JAMES

17.
Travel back in time to 1941, aboard the
first American warship to be sunk in
World War II, even before the United
States was officially at war.
Roland’s Mission: Hallows Eve

18.
31 October. Hallows Eve
1517
1692
1828
1941
1984
Zero Year
What do they all have in common?
A day when history stood in the balance.

19.
Coming 1 October 2017

20.
Click on tab above for FREE short/audio/Ides of March

21.
Bob Mayer is a New York Times bestselling author, a graduate of
West Point, a former Green Beret, and the feeder of two yellow Labs,
most famously Cool Gus. He’s had over seventy books published,
including the #1 bestselling series Time Patrol, Area 51, Atlantis, and
the Green Berets. Born in the Bronx and having traveled the world
(usually not the tourist spots), he now lives peacefully with his wife
and labs.
Sort of.
www.bobmayer.com