hat all had not been plain sailing in passing
through the submarine zone.

The expedition was divided into contingents, each contingent including
troopships and a naval escort designed to hold off any German raiders
that might be sighted. An ocean rendezvous had also been arranged with
the American destroyer flotilla under Admiral Sims, which had been
operating in European waters since May 4, 1917, in order that the
passage of the danger zone might be attended by every possible
protection. Frequent indications pointing to the presence of
submarines in the expedition's course were observed as the transports
neared European waters. The passage through the infested zone was
therefore made at high speed; the men were prepared for any emergency;
boats and life belts were at hand for instant use; and watches at
every lookout were heavily reenforced.

These precautions were timely and more than warranted. The first
contingent of transports was attacked twice by German U-boats. Admiral
Gleaves, describing these incidents in reporting to Admiral Mayo,
commander in chief of the Atlantic fleet, said the first attack was
made at 10.15 p. m. on June 22. The location, formation, and names of
the transports and the convoys, the speed they made, and the method
of proceeding, were suppressed in the account made public by the Navy
Department.

It appeared that the destroyers' flagship, which led the transport
fleet, was the first to encounter the submarine. At least the officer
on deck and others on the bridge saw a white streak about fifty yards
ahead of the ship, crossing from starboard to port at right angles to
the ship's course. The ship was sharply turned 90 degrees to starboard
at high speed, a general alarm was sounded, and torpedo crews were
ordered to their guns. One of the destroyers called _A_ and one of the
transports astern opened fire, the destroyer's shell being fitted with
tracers. Other members of the convoying destroyers turned to the right
and left. At first it was thought on board the flagship that the white
streak was caused by a torpedo, but later reports from other ships
warranted the conclusion that it was the wake of the submarine itself.
At 10.25 the wake of a torpedo was sighted directly across the bow of
the destroyer called _A_, about thirty yards ahead. The ship's course
was swung to the left, and shots were fired from port batteries in
alarm, accompanied by blasts from the siren. The destroyer then pass