World Battlefronts: BATTLE OF THE SEAS: Three Down

Ghosting over the South Atlantic, patrol planes sighted a strange merchant vessel. That night the U.S. destroyer Somers caught up with her, recognized an enemy, opened fire with 5-in. guns. The merchantman's crew began abandoning ship at the first salvo. When the destroyer closed, demolition charges sent the freighter to the bottom.

In the morning a scout plane from the cruiser Omaha flushed another enemy cargo boat. Before the Omaha and escorting destroyer Jouett could overtake her, the quarry blew herself up. Next day the sea drama was repeated; still another blockade-runner went to the bottom. The U.S. ships rescued most...