USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James

Franklin D Roosevelt

Definition and Summary of the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James
Summary and Definition: Incidents involving the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James all occured in the Atlantic before the United States officially entered World War II. The "Greer incident" occurred south of Iceland in the North Atlantic on September 4, 1941. The USS Greer, an American destroyer had been radioing the position of a German U-Boat to the British and became the first US Navy war ship to be fired on by a German U-Boat  but did not sink. The USS Kearny was torpedoed on October 17, 1941 by a German U-boat while on patrol off Greenland, but did not sink. The U.S.S. Reuben James was the first United States warship to be sunk by a German U-boat on October 31, 1941 and resulted in the loss of 115 of 160 American crewmen. These incidents in the Atlantic moved the United States nearer to outright involvement in the European war.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James
Franklin Roosevelt was the 32nd American President who served in office from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945. Important events during his presidency were the incidents surrounding the USS Greer, Kearny and the Reuben James.

     
   

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Facts for kids
The following fact sheet contains interesting facts and information on USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids.

Facts about the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 1: Great Britain had declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939 and the British Battle of the Atlantic was in full swing.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 2: The Lend-Lease Act allowed the British access to American arms, munitions and supplies but the British had to send its own ships to pick up the goods.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 3: The convoys of British cargo ships were under constant attack by German U-Boat submarines and their precious cargoes were being lost.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 4: The United States was still technically neutral so President Roosevelt was unable to order the US Navy to protect the British merchant cargo ships.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 5: FDR therefore declared the western half of the Atlantic as neutral and ordered the US Navy to patrol what he called the 'Hemispheric Defense Zone' and help the allies by reporting the location of German U-Boat submarines to the British.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 6: The "Greer incident" occurred south of Iceland in the North Atlantic on September 4, 1941. The USS Greer (DD 145), an American destroyer was carrying American mail to Iceland and had been radioing the position of a German U-Boat to the British.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 7: The USS Greer became the first US Navy war ship to be fired on by a German U-Boat (U-652) but the two torpedoes missed their target.

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Facts about the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids

Facts about the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids
The following fact sheet continues with facts about USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids.

Facts about the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 8: The USS Greer had maintained the German U-boat in sound contact for 3 hours and 28 minutes. After evading the two torpedoes fired at her the Greer attacked with 19 depth charges and therefore also became the first American ship in World War II to attack the Germans.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 9: The Greer was flying the American flag and her identity as an American ship was unmistakable. FDR responded to the "Greer incident" by issuing what became known as his "shoot-on-sight" order toward German submarines.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 10: President Roosevelt unofficially declared war on anyone who further attacked American vessels, or foreign shipping under escort, in the North Atlantic stating "If German or Italian vessels of war enter these waters, they do so at their own peril."

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 11: FDR reported the events of the "Greer incident" to the American people during one of his 'Fireside Chats' on September 11, 1941 calling it an act of piracy. The president went on to state that the Nazi danger to the Western world had long ceased to be a mere possibility.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 12: The USS Kearny (DD 432) was torpedoed on October 17, 1941 by a German U-boat (U-568) while on patrol off Greenland. The USS Kearny but did not sink, but 11 men were killed and 22 men were injured in the explosion.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 13: Ten days after the attack on the USS Kearny, President Roosevelt made his "Navy Day Address" to the nation on October 27, 1941 stating that the "forward march of Hitler and of Hitlerism can be stopped - and it will be stopped..."

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 14: On October 31, 1941 the U.S.S. Reuben James was torpedoed and sunk whilst escorting convoy HX-156 of forty-three merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to England.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 15: The explosions broke the ship in two and the sinking of the Reuben James American destroyer resulted in the loss of 115 of 160 American crewmen. Reuben James was the first United States warship sunk two months before Pearl Harbor

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James Fact 16: The incidents in the Atlantic moved America nearer to outright involvement in the European war. Japan bombed the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941  and the United States entered World War II.

Facts about the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James for kids - President Franklin Roosevelt Video
The article on the USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following Franklin Roosevelt video will give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 32nd American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945.

USS Greer, Kearny and Reuben James

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