TFH 4/14: A U-Boat Sunk off Cape Hatteras

In January 1942, the German Kriegsmarine launched their first U-Boat offensive off the eastern seaboard of the United States, codenamed Operation Drumbeat. For four months, the Nazi submariners sunk ship after ship, with no losses.

All that changed on the night of April 13-14, 1942 - exactly 70 years ago. The USS Roper (DD-147), a Wickes-class destroyer commissioned in 1919, detected the German submarine U-85 running on the surface with her radar. The Roper closed to just 700 yards from the submarine, and evaded a torpedo fired from one of the U-boat's stern tubes. When the range closed to 300 yards, Roper opened fire with naval artillery and machine gun fire, scoring hits that forced U-85 to dive.

The water was shallow, only about 100 feet deep. U-85 had nowhere to go, and Roper moved in for the kill. The destroyer dropped a pattern of eleven depth charges that destroyed the enemy submarine. There were no survivors.

For their courage and skill and combat, and for sinking the first U-boat off the US coast, the commander of the destroyer division and the Roper's captain were both awarded the Navy Cross. They were Commander Stanley Cook Norton and Lieutenant Hamilton Wilcox Howe.


Navy Cross Citation for CDR Stanley Cook Norton:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Commander Stanley Cook Norton, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander, Destroyer Division FIFTY-FOUR, when the flagship of his division, the Destroyer U.S.S. ROPER (DD-147), made a successful attack upon the German submarine U-85 off the coast of Virginia on the night of 13 - 14 April 1942, causing complete destruction of that enemy vessel without injury to his flagship or its personnel. Commander Norton's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of this successful mission and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.

Navy Cross Citation for LT Hamilton Wilcox Howe:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Hamilton Wilcox Howe, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Destroyer U.S.S. ROPER (DD-147), when his ship made a successful attack upon the German submarine U-85 in the waters of the Atlantic on the night of 13 - 14 April 1942. Lieutenant Commander Howe with an offensive singleness of purpose tracked, attacked and completely destroyed the German U-85 off the Coast of Virginia, without injury to his vessel or its personnel. Lieutenant Commander Howe's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of this successful mission and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.

Both Norton and Howe retired from the United States Navy as Rear Admirals. Norton passed away in 1978; Howe in 1993. The USS Roper later was converted to service as a high-speed transport with the designation APD-20. She was severely damaged in 1945 by a Japanese kamikaze attacker, but did not sink. Roper was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1945 before scrapping in 1946.