Action of 15 October 1917

Part of World War I,
Atlantic U-boat Campaign

The destroyer USS Cassin.

Date	15 October 1917
Location	off Mind Head, Ireland, Celtic Sea, Atlantic Ocean
Result	United States victory, Americans defend ship and drive off attacking German submarine

Belligerents

United States

German Empire

Commanders and leaders

W. N. Vernou

Victor Dieckmann

Strength

One destroyer

One submarine

Casualties and losses

One killed
Nine wounded
One destroyer damaged

One submarine damaged

The Action of 15 October 1917 was a naval engagement of World War I between Imperial Germany and the United States off the coast of Mind Head, Ireland.

The American destroyer USS Cassin, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Walter N. Vernou, was operating off the coast of Ireland in October 1917. On anti-submarine patrols and rescue missions, as well as convoy duty. Operating out of Queenstown, Ireland, she was armed with four 4 in (100 mm) guns and eight 18 in (460 mm) torpedo tubes. The German submarine U-61—on a typical unrestricted U-boat mission — was cruising in British waters, attacking Allied shipping. She was armed with a deck gun and torpedoes.

On 15 October 1917, Cassin sighted U-61 at about 23 mi (20 nmi; 37 km) south of Mind Head at 13:30 and 5 mi (4.3 nmi; 8.0 km) from the ship. The German submarine sighted Cassin as well, she immediately submerged and began to flee. A pursuit ensued for an hour; at about 14:30, U-61's commander—Victor Dieckmann—decided to engage the tailing American warship.

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