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| The Air Patrol of the Atlantic |
Henry Reuterdahl
(1871-1925) |
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Acquisition Number: 60-380-V
Medium: Watercolor on Illustration Board
Status: Reproduction Available - Click Here
Defeating the threat posed by German U-boats to Allied ships that carried critically needed supplies and reinforcements to Europe was a priority mission for the U.S. Navy during World War I. Grouping slow-moving merchant ships into convoys protected by a number of small destroyers was the best defense against enemy submarines. Additionally, multi-engine flying boats proved to be very effective against U-boats in coastal waters. Here, Reuterdahl depicts an American destroyer navigating heavy seas, protecting its herd of cargo ships, while a flying boat emerges from the low clouds, signifying that the harrowing oceanic journey is near its end.
Courtesy of Navy Art Collection, Naval History and Heritage Command
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