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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Admiral William S. Benson, Chief of Naval Operations, to Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters

CABLEGRAM RECEIVED June <3, 1918.> 12108  TOH

Origin Opnav Washington                        Ser. No. 6800

Ref’d to O-1      Date   4 June <1918>

   40 A DR

CONFIDENTIAL

Simsadus.

6800. Enemy submarine commenced operations sixty miles southeast Barnegat 2 June 3 p.m. sunk by bomb Schooner EDWARD H COLE sunk by method not yet known obstructing JACOB HASKELL Latitude 39° 30' N Longitude 73° 30' W.1 Noon 3 June U.S.S. PREBLE reports now engaging submarine.2 Captain of COLE reports sighting perescope of second submarine.3 Characteristics of submarine actually about 200 feet long mounting 2 large guns 1 forward 1 aft 1 small gun amidship.4 It is not intended to allow this to interrupt East bound convoys. 12003, 6800

/s/ Benson    

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. Note below close: “Note ‘Obstruct’ comes clear./Word after ‘actually’ omitted.” The handwritten date is confirmed by the time/date stamp at the end of the text. Document identifier in the top right-hand corner: “16-5-7-A” and in columnar fashion: “1/5/6/[C?]/H/J.”

Footnote 1: On the ships sunk by U-151, see: Diary of Josephus Daniels, 3 June 1918.

Footnote 2: The U.S. destroyer PREBLE did not encounter U-151. The submarine was far south of the PREBLE when the encounter supposedly occurred. Clark, U-Boats to America: 64-5.

Footnote 3: There was no second submarine.

Footnote 4: This description of U-151 is generally accurate. For a detailed discussion of the submarine and its armament, see Ibid., 32.