Battle of Port Cros

Battle of Port Cros
Part of the Mediterranean Theater of World War II
Port Cros (left) from space and Île du Levant (right).
Date August 15, 1944 Location Port-Cros, France, Mediterranean Sea Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United States  Canada	Nazi Germany
Commanders and leaders
William C. Hughes	unknown
Strength
Land: 1,800 infantry Sea: 1 destroyer	Land: 5 forts Sea: 1 corvette 1 aviso
Casualties and losses
9 killed	1 corvette sunk 1 aviso sunk 5 forts captured
Port-Cros Location within France

The Battle of Port Cros was a battle of World War II fought off the French Riviera in the Mediterranean Sea on the island of Port-Cros. The battle began when a United States Navy warship encountered two German warships in August 1944 while supporting the Allied Operation Dragoon. It was one of the few surface engagements fought between the United States Navy and the German Kriegsmarine. Later that day, the combined American and Canadian Devil's Brigade was dropped on the main island and captured the German held positions.

The American destroyer USS Somers—armed with eight 5 in (130 mm) guns and twelve 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes—was cruising in the Mediterranean on 15 August 1944 when she came across the former Italian Gabbiano-class corvette Camoscio of 738 long tons (750 t), which was renamed UJ6081 by the Kriegsmarine. Also involved was the former French aviso Amiral Senes of 917 long tons (932 t), renamed SG21.UJ6081 was armed with one 3.9 in (99 mm)gun and two 17.7 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes. The aviso was armed with two 4.1 in (100 mm) guns. It was early morning off Port Cros, about four hours before the Allied landing in Vichy France, when the Americans sighted the German corvette. Commander Willam Christopher Hughes ordered a torpedo attack and directed his men to battle stations.