This is a US Navy report from May of 1945, concerning the sinking of the escort carrier USS BLOCK ISLAND by U-546. As you read this report, you will realize that the war with Germany was just over, so the sentiments reflect the atmosphere of the time.

Foreship view of USS BLOCK ISLAND

“The US Navy today, on the first anniversary of the sinking of the USS BLOCK ISLAND, first and only escort carrier sunk in the western waters, unfolded one of the most stirring epics of the Battle of the Atlantic, a dramatic story in which a flock of doughty little destroyer escorts, built by men of Fore River and Hingham, were the heroes.

USS AHRENS, USS EUGENE E. ELMORE, USS BARR, USS ROBERT J. PAINE and the deadly little BUCKLEY which sank a German submarine, were the members of that little flotilla of south-shore-built destroyer escorts that wrote a vital page of naval history out on the Atlantic where the U-Boat wolfpacks still prowled between the Allies and victory.

These destroyer escorts were designed to protect convoys crossing the Atlantic from the submarines.

How well they did their job, how well they fought when there was fighting to do, was expressed when the crew of the German U-Boat beaten by the BUCKLEY, built at Hingham, ‘thought they were battling a light cruiser’ instead of a destroyer escort.

The story is a drama in two acts, played a year ago this month out on the surging surface of the Atlantic with shells and torpedoes instead of words.

In one act, the DUDLEY sank a submarine which was attacking the BLOCK ISLAND. In another act the BLOCK ISLAND was sunk by a U-Boat and the AHRENS almost simultaneously directed the attack which possibly sank the submarine and rescued some 700 of the survivors from BLOCK ISLAND. (see NOTE #1)

The story, as told by the US Navy, follows:

One year ago today, the escort carrier USS BLOCK ISLAND was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-Boat in the Atlantic, the only U.S. carrier lost in that ocean. But of security considerations, details concerning this and coincident events have waited until now to be told.

Unquestionably, one of the most sensational stories of the Battle of the Atlantic is that of the USS AHRENS, a destroyer escort vessel, which on her first war patrol, performed the almost unbelievable feat of rescuing nearly 700 survivors of the BLOCK ISLAND while at the same time, directing another destroyer escort to sink the enemy submarine which had torpedoed the carrier and one of her escort vessels. (see NOTE #2)

CDR Morgan H. Harris, USNR, widely known Boston yachtsman whose wife, Mrs. Gladys Nordstrom Harris, is now residing on Paradise Avenue, Newport R.I. was in command of the USS AHRENS on that memorable 29th day of May 1944. Previously awarded the LEGION of MERIT for outstanding services as Commanding Officer of a minesweeper during the invasion of Sicily. CDR Harris was awarded a GOLD STAR in lieu of a second LEGION of MERIT for his exceptionally meritorious conduct during the hours immediately following the early night sinking of the USS BLOCK ISLAND and the damaging of the USS BARR, another DE.

The AHREN’s spectacular service is summarized in the citation accompanying CDR Harris’ latest decoration. In this citation, Admiral R. E. Ingersoll, then Commander in Chief of the United States Atlantic Fleet, said in part:

‘While engaged in rescuing survivors of the torpedoed USS BLOCK ISLAND and while surrounded by several hundred of the crew of the torpedoed carrier, the USS AHRENS made underwater sound contact on the enemy submarine which had previously torpedoed two ships of the Task Group.

Fully realizing the peril to which he was subjecting his ship, CDR M. H. Harris directed a companion escort vessel (the EUGENE E. ELMORE), not in the immediate vicinity of the floating survivors, to attack the U-Boat. The attacking ship delivered a series of extremely accurate attacks which resulted in the probable destruction of the enemy. (see NOTE #1 again)

The judgment and bravery displayed by CDR M. H. Harris during the lethal attack on an enemy submarine while engaged in the simultaneous rescue of almost 700 survivors of the USS BLOCK ISLAND reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Services.’

The USS AHRENS, which bears the name of PFC. Edward H. Ahrens USMC of Dayton, KY; a Tulagi hero, first received public recognition in December 1944 with the USS HOLTON, also a DE, for extinguishing a fire aboard two merchant ships which had collided at sea, and bringing the latter safely into port. the AHRENS was launched at the Hingham Shipyard of Bethlehem Steel Company on December 21, 1943 and was commissioned there on February 12, 1944. According to her records, the AHRENS on May 29 of last year was in her position off the port bow of the USS BLOCK ISLAND when the escort carrier was first hit. The carrier’s screen was completed by the destroyer escorts EUGENE E. ELMORE, USS ROBERT I. PAINE and the USS BARR.

It was shortly after 8 O’clock at night when two torpedoes struck the BLOCK ISLAND, one in the bow and the other in the stern. As the carrier lost headway and began to swing to port, the 4 escort destroyers concentrated on the search for the underwater attacker. The BLOCK ISLAND and ELMORE soon spotted a periscope on the carrier’s starboard quarter, but before the ELMORE could strike, a third torpedo hit the BLOCK ISLAND amidships and left her dead in the water.

The ELMORE pressed her attack while CDR Harris, a senior officer in the escort, took command upon finding all communication severed with the BLOCK ISLAND. Less than 15 minutes had passed since the first torpedo hit the escort carrier when one of the tin fish found its mark in the stern of the USS BARR, and rendered the vessel inactive.

As the ELMORE and the PAINE continued their search for the enemy submarine, the AHRENS moved in to rescue the survivors of the BLOCK ISLAND. By now the stern of the carrier was down and she appeared broken amidships. All hands were abandoning her and her planes that were in the air were directed to the nearest islands.

The AHRENS picked up the sound of the submarine and advised the ELMORE of her location. The PAINE was ordered to stand by the two damaged ships, because the AHRENS was nearing the virtual sea of survivors from the carrier and dared not attempt to move out to seek the underwater craft herself.

While responding to rescue of survivors, the AHRENS obtained positive location of the enemy marauder, but by then being surrounded by men from the BLOCK ISLAND and because the ELMORE was nearer the submarine, CDR Harris held his ship immobile and radioed to the ELMORE ‘KILL!’ Simultaneously, the survivors were being taken aboard the AHRENS over all available floater nets, cargo nets and sea ladders.

The USS ELMORE soon located the submarine and exactly one hour after their first torpedo struck the BLOCK ISLAND, delivered the telling assault on the enemy attacker. Three explosions resulted, indicating the sub had been hit, and a tremendous 4th explosion indicated that the sub had been destroyed

By one hour and fifteen minutes after the entire incident began, CDR Harris ordered that debris was clogging the AHREN’s circulating pumps, making it necessary to get underway. He ordered the USS ROBERT I. PAINE to rescue the remaining survivors of the BLOCK ISLAND (more than 250) and began taking account of those aboard the AHRENS.

There were 73 officers and 601 enlisted men in addition to the more than 200 of his own crew.

Capt. F. Massie Hughes, USN of Salem, Commanding Officer of the USS BLOCK ISLAND, resumed command of the task group in the extremely crowded quarters of the AHRENS. It was about one and one half hours after she was first hit that the ill-fated BLOCK ISLAND went to the bottom, and the ELMORE was directed to stand by the USS BARR and take her in tow in the morning.

Daylight check-up revealed that, with all of her survivors aboard the AHRENS and the PAINE, five of the BLOCK ISLAND’s crew had been killed in torpedo explosions and only one of the ship’s company was missing. Four of her pilots failed to reach safety. That made a total of ten lost out of the carrier’s compliment of over 950 men.

The all-night search of the area was concluded shortly after 8 O’clock in the morning and the voyage to Casablanca got underway, the ELMORE towing the crippled BARR. With nearly 900 aboard, the AHRENS made the trip successfully although there was hardly room to move around, with some survivors hardly leaving one spot over the entire three-day period. All hands of the AHREN’s crew supplied dry clothes for the BLOCK ISLAND survivors, and as many as five rescued men stretched across bunks intended for one, while others took turns sleeping on the cabin floors. The survivors were at all times, well cared for, although only two meals a day could be provided for them and they expressed unending gratitude to the men of the USS AHRENS.

In addition to the GOLD STAR in lieu of a second LEGION of MERIT for CDR Harris, six other members of the AHREN’s company received letters of commendation and commendation ribbons from Admiral Ingersoll while the AHRENS was in Boston Navy Yard for repairs for damage incurred when she and the USS HOLTON saved two burning merchant ships after a collision at sea. One of these six men was Lt. William Rogers, XO of the AHRENS during the rescue and later C.O. of the ship. The others were: Ltjg John Ecklund, Lawrence Holstein, Henry Pearson, John Crawford and William Higgins.

NOTE #1 - DUDLEY sank no U-Boat, but probably drove one away from USS BLOCK ISLAND. When BLOCK ISLAND was sunk by U-549, the U-Boat herself was quickly attacked and sunk by USS AHRENS and USS ELMORE. U-549, under command of Kplt Detlef Krankhagen, was sunk with all hands lost, 58 men.

NOTE #2 - The destroyer escort USS BARR was damaged by a GNAT (acoustic) torpedo fired by U-549 at the same time USS BLOCK ISLAND was sunk. Another GNAT was fired at USS ELMORE, but the DE evaded it.