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| A Critical Situation |
Burnell Poole
(1884-1933) |
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Acquisition Number: 2004-050-02
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Status: Reproduction Available - Click Here
Enemy attack was not the only type of peril that faced ships on convoy duty. With so many ships operating within a small area, the danger of collision was a constant concern, especially at night when ships were reluctant to turn on lights for fear of attracting U-boats. Here, USS Stockton (DD-73) acts as an anti-submarine escort through the war zone for a fast troop transport and is closing in to gain sight of the big ship in heavy fog. The destroyer finds itself crossing the bow of the giant troopship, a situation calling for quick action to avoid collision, all the more dangerous because of the depth charges carried on the destroyer’s stern. Stockton was not always so fortunate as the scene depicted here. While on escort duty on 30 March 1918, after evading a U-boat torpedo and chasing the attacker off, the ship collided with British TSS Slieve Bloom, causing serious damage to its bow and sinking the cargo ship, though without loss of life.
Courtesy of Navy Art Collection, Naval History and Heritage Command
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