Rare 1917 Postcard Lt. Carpender w/ First German Officer Captured U-58 Submarine for Sale

Rare 1917 Postcard Lt. Carpender w/ First German Officer Captured U-58 Submarine For Sale

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Rare 1917 Postcard Lt. Carpender w/ First German Officer Captured U-58 Submarine:
$299.99

This rare 1917 postcard features the first Germany officer aboard the USS Fanning DD-37 after his submarine, the U-58, was defeated in the battle of The Action of 17 November 1917. It appears the man on the right is Lieutenant Arthur Schuyler Carpender, the commanding officer of USS Fanning.

The captive on the left in the postcard is one of the officers of U-58, but not the commanding officer of it,Kapitänleutnant Gustav Amberger. This was only eight days into his first cruise as the commanding officer. “Kapitänleutnant” is equivalent to the naval rank of Lieutenant in the English-speaking navies.

Approximate size: 5.4 inches x 3.4 inches

I have a few other postcards regarding this historical event for sale. To see them, head over to my store and type in U-58. Other than what I have listed, there doesn\'t seem to be any others for sale online. They don\'t seem to come on the market often. If you enjoy collecting WWI naval memorabilia, this is for you.

The Action of 17 November 1917 was a naval battle during World War I, fought between a German U-boat and two United States Navy destroyers in the North Atlantic Ocean. The destroyers involved were the USS Fanning and her sister destroyer USS Nicholson.

At 4:10 on 17 November 1917, Coxswain Daniel David Loomis of the Fanning sighted U-58, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Gustav Amberger, when the U-boat had surfaced to extend her periscope. The German submarine lined up for a shot at the British merchant steamer SS Welshman and almost immediately Officer of the Deck Lieutenant William O. Henry ordered the destroyer to make circles and engage.

Fanning dropped three depth charges, scoring a hit which shook up the U-boat well. Then USS Nicholson joined in the fighting, commanded by Frank Berrien, and dropped another depth charge herself. The Americans spotted U-58 when it surfaced, and Fanning fired three shots with her stern gun. Nicholson struck the U-boat with at least one shot from her bow gun. The Germans unsuccessfully returned fire and surrendered at around 4:30.

American fire had hit the submarine near its diving planes, making the sub unmaneuverable. Kapitänleutnant Amberger ordered the ballast tanks blown and the submarine went up. Charges also knocked out the main generator aboard the Fanning. If U-58 had surfaced in a battle ready position, Fanning would have surely been attacked and possibly sunk. The German submariners surrendered and Fanning maneuvered to take prisoners. That ended the action with an American victory.

The Fanning and Nicholson’s sinking of U-58 was one of only a few engagements of World War I in which U.S. Navy warships sank an enemy submarine. Also the first time U.S. ships sank a submarine in combat. Lieutenant William O. Henry and Coxswain Daniel Lommis both received a Navy Cross for their actions during their encounter with U-58. Fanning and Nicholson continued the war escorting and patrolling the North Atlantic, making several more inconclusive contacts with German submarines. Thirty-eight of the 40 crew members of the U-58 survived to become prisoners of war in the United States.

The USS Fanning (DD-37) was a modified Paulding-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I and later served in the United States Coast Guard, designated as CG-11. It was named after Lieutenant Nathaniel Fanning. The ship was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Newport News, Virginia, at a cost of $639,526.91.

It was launched on 11 January 1912 and commissioned on 21 June 1912. The ship was decommissioned on 24 November 1919 and transferred to the United States Coast Guard on 7 June 1924. It was sold for scrapping on 2 May 1934. The ship was part of the training schedule of the Atlantic Fleet, sailing to the Caribbean for winter maneuvers, and exercising off the coast of New England in the summers.

During World War I, the Fanning took part in several key operations and was involved in the fight with the German submarine U-58.

The first reference photo is of the crew of U-58 evacuating ship.

The second reference photo is of the crew of U-58 after being captured. It appears that the man on the far left of the officers is the one in the postcard in this listing.

The third reference photo is a newspaper clipping in The Pensacola journal (Pensacola, Fla.), November 27, 1917.

The fourth reference photo is a newspaper clipping in the Bisbee daily review (Bisbee, Ariz.), November 27, 1917.

The fifth reference photo is a newspaper clipping in theSpringfield weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.), November 29, 1917.

Please inspect the pictures, as they give the best representation of condition. May have discoloring, edge or corner wear, marks, creases, fading, smudges, corner or edge bends, tears, or corners missing.

In particular, there are holes punched in all four corners by a previous owner. Also there are some smudges on the back right and a bit on the front left/center.

(E56 inventory number)