On October 17, 1917, the U.S. Army-chartered transport SS Antilles was torpedoed by the German submarine U-62 while returning to the United States from France. The civilian-manned vessel had delivered troops to France and was sailing home when the attack struck. It reportedly sank in about four and a half minutes, claiming 67 lives.
The torpedo struck at approximately 6:45 a.m., leaving little time for those aboard to escape. In rough seas, survivors clung to wreckage or crowded into boats as the escort vessels responded. USS Alcedo and USS Corsair rescued survivors, but the speed of the sinking left dozens beyond help. The loss was the first sinking of an American transport during the war.
The destruction of Antilles underscored the dangers faced by the ships carrying American troops across the Atlantic. Although the vessel was traveling in an escorted convoy, it remained vulnerable to a sudden submarine attack. Its loss offered a stark reminder that even protected crossings could end in disaster.
Image: Survivors of the sinking of the SS Antilles on October 17, 1917.
