• Source: Convoy HX 156

Convoy HX 156 was the 156th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool. Forty-three ships departed Halifax on 22 October 1941, and were met two days later by United States Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 consisting of Gleaves-class destroyer Niblack, Clemson-class destroyer Reuben James, Wickes-class destroyer Tarbell, and Benson-class destroyers Benson and Hilary P. Jones.




The Action






= 31 October 1941

=
The German submarine U-552 sighted the convoy at dawn on 31 October 1941, and torpedoed Reuben James as the destroyer approached to investigate the Huff-Duff bearing of the sighting report. A torpedo struck the port side and detonated the forward magazine. The hull aft of the third stack remained afloat for 5 minutes; and 44 men were rescued from the crew of 159.
Reuben James was the first United States warship sunk during World War II. U-552 was driven off by the escort; but U-567 found the convoy that afternoon.




= 1 November 1941

=
Task Unit 4.1.3 handed the convoy off to the British 6th Escort Group on 1 November 1941.
U-552 and U-567 made two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on 1 November and maintained contact with the convoy through 3 November. Empire Foam launched her Hawker Sea Hurricane to intercept a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft, which it chased off. The Hurricane pilot was rescued by HMS Broke after ditching his aircraft. The convoy reached Liverpool on 5 November.




Ships in the convoy


These ships were members of Convoy HX 156.




Notes






References


Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1975). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1943. Little, Brown and Company.
Rohwer, J.; Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
Silverstone, Paul H. (1968). U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Convoy HX 156
• HX convoys
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• Convoy HX 300
• Convoys HX 229/SC 122
• Convoy HX 237
• Convoy HX 79
• Convoy HX 228
• Convoy HX 90
• Convoy HX 112