Century-Old Bell From the First US Destroyer That Sank In WWI Recovered

A huge bell once attached to a historic war vessel that was torpedoed during WWI has been recovered from the wreckage, nearly one year and a half after the divers stumbled upon the lost vessel in the waters off England’s southwestern coast.

The bell had been retrieved by an expert salvage unit assigned to survey the wreckage site of the Jacob Jones. This U.S. Navy destroyer had gone down in the English Channel on 6 December 1917 after getting struck by a German-based submarine’s torpedo. It was the first U.S. Navy destroyer ever to be sunk by enemy fire, per the Naval History and Heritage Command (abbreviated the NHHC).

Specialist divers located the shipwreck about 60 miles south of Cornwall at the southern English peninsula tip, about 400 feet below the ocean’s surface. The NHHC cooperated with the U.K. Ministry of Defense to investigate the site when it was identified in August 2022.

Per the U.S. Navy’s protocol, recently found shipwrecks like this one should usually stay untouched. However, in this incident, the international cooperation was put into action because of worries about illegal and unapproved salvage of the ship’s bell, says a statement from Sam Cox, the Naval History and Heritage Command’s director and a retired Rear-Admiral of the U.S. Navy.

Made out of brass and weighing almost 80 pounds, per a Washington Post report, the bell will be serving as a memorial to the sailors who sacrificed in the defense of the U.S. and the UK, Cox’s statement declared. CBS News has contacted the NHHC for more details regarding the bell but hasn’t received any immediate response.

Pulled from the initial patrol off the Virginia coast before the U.S. joined WWI in April 1917, the Jacob Jones was deployed to the U.K. transporting supply convoys and is also remembered for rescuing survivors from impaired British vessels hit by enemy fire. Reportedly citing the Maritime Archeology Trust, the US Naval Institute mentioned that the destroyer was credited with the task of rescuing 374 crew members and guests from torpedoed merchant and passenger vessels all through the deployment in the European waters.

The destroyer submerged about eight minutes after getting hit by the German torpedo in that year December, with 62 crew members and two officers on board, per the NHHC. Many others on the Jacob Jones survived torpedo strikes since Cmmdr. According to the agency, David W. Bagley called for the vessel to be abandoned and life rafts launched as the stern started sinking.

The wreck of the vessel is a hallowed war grave and is the ultimate resting place for several of the 64 individuals who had been lost in the sinking, explained Cox. The crew members assigned to salvage the destroyer site made use of a remotely operated vehicle to place a wreath and the American flag over the wreck in memory of the sailors who passed away over a century ago.

On recovery, the bell was temporarily given to the private UK company named Wessex Archaeology, per contract with NHHC, the agency mentioned. It will be turned over to the U.S. in a ceremonial transfer, all prepared to occur later in 2024. It will subsequently be sent to the NHHC’s Underwater Archaeology Branch for conservation. It will eventually be exhibited in Washington, D.C., at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy.

The discovery of Jacob Jones in 2022 came less than two months after a U.S. Navy destroyer escort was sunk during WWII and was found almost 23,000 feet below sea level off the Philippines, making it the deepest wreck that was ever found.

Reference: cbsnews

Marine Insight Academy

Online courses for the Maritime industry!

Enroll For Maritime Courses

• 100 + Free & Premium Courses
• Learn at your own speed
• Earn certificates on completing Premium Courses
• Quizes to evaluate your knowledge
• Interactive videos

Take Maritime Courses

Marine Insight Academy

Enroll For Maritime Courses

• 100 + Free & Premium Courses
• Learn at your own speed
• Earn certificates on completing Premium Courses
• Quizes to evaluate your knowledge
• Interactive videos

Take Maritime Courses

About Author

Marine Insight News Network is a premier source for up-to-date, comprehensive, and insightful coverage of the maritime industry. Dedicated to offering the latest news, trends, and analyses in shipping, marine technology, regulations, and global maritime affairs, Marine Insight News Network prides itself on delivering accurate, engaging, and relevant information.

Read More Articles By This Author >