kly apparent that it
would strike the _Cassin_ on the side and near the stern.

Ordinarily this would be less dangerous than if it struck amidships
where it would very likely disable the engines and possibly explode the
boilers, but in the case of the _Cassin_, avoiding one danger only
brought another and a more serious one, for piled on the deck near the
stern were boxes of high explosives which would be set off by the
striking of the torpedo.

Some of the crew had been watching the approach of the torpedo. Most
of them were forward and would escape the terrible danger at the stern
of the boat.

But Gunner's Mate, O. C. Ingram, did not hurry forward; he rushed aft
and began to throw overboard the boxes of explosives. He did not stop
to see how near the torpedo had come and how much time he had; he
simply set to work to save the boat and her crew. Just as he hurled
the last box from his hand, the torpedo struck the _Cassin_ with a
terrible explosion, throwing Ingram far overboard into the sea.

The torpedo had struck the destroyer near the stern, and blew off about
thirty feet of the boat. It disabled one of the engines, and the
steering gear, but the after bulkhead kept out the water and the
destroyer was later towed to port and repaired.

Had the explosives not been thrown overboard, the _Cassin_ would
doubtless have been sunk and few if any of her crew saved. As it was,
Gunner's Mate Ingram was the only one to lose his life, for he drowned
before help was able to reach him.

The _Cassin_ did not attempt, even after this experience, to get to
safety, but remained watching for the reappearance of the submarine.
When the U-boat finally came to the surface, she was greeted with
several shots from the _Cassin_ and suddenly sank, or submerged. It is
thought she was damaged and possibly destroyed.

The Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels, sent the following letter
to the commander, the other officers, and the crew of the _Cassin_:--

"The Department has received the report of the action between the U. S.
S. _Cassin_ and a German submarine on October 15, 1917, and notes with
gratification the highly commendable conduct of yourself, the other
officers, and the crew of the _Cassin_. The manner in which the
_Cassin_ was kept under way with her steering-gear disabled and
practically at the mercy of the submarine, and opened fire on her when
she appeared, is well worthy of the best traditions of the Navy."