Atlantic Crossings

Having departed Portugal and being some 180 miles off its coast, in the early morning of June 11th quite unexpectedly the “Washington” received an urgent order via blinker message conveyed through the pre-sunrise gloom. An order “Stop ship” was received from a surfaced unidentified submarine. Suddenly it became clear there was a deadly sea wolf prowling somewhere out in the darkness seeking its prey. Then a second flashed “Heave to ship” order was followed by the order, “Torpedo the ship”.