The battleship that accidentally sank a U-boat by colliding with it

Countries & Cities · Published 9 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In October 1918, the USS New York was involved in a bizarre naval encounter. While escorting a convoy, the battleship struck an underwater object, only to later discover the collision had likely destroyed a German U-boat. This accidental encounter remains a unique moment in the ship's storied service history.

Commissioned in 1914, the USS New York (BB-34) was a New York-class battleship and the first of her class to carry the 14-inch/45-caliber gun. Designed as a powerful dreadnought, she was a significant technological leap for the United States Navy. While serving in the North Sea to support the British Grand Fleet during World War I, she demonstrated incredible precision, hitting a 93.3 percent accuracy mark during gunnery drills.

The ship's most unusual combat achievement occurred on October 14, 1918. While leading a group of battleships into the Pentland Firth, the New York suffered a violent underwater collision that damaged her propeller and reduced her speed from 21 knots to 12 knots. Upon inspection in a drydock at Rosyth, a large dent was found in her hull. Commanders concluded the ship had accidentally collided with a submerged German U-boat, an event believed to have sunk the submarine.

The New York's service spanned both World Wars. During World War II, she participated in the Neutrality Patrol and provided naval gunfire support during Operation Torch near Casablanca. Later, she supported the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In 1946, the now-obsolete battleship was selected for the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll. She survived both explosions, though the effects of radiation on the vessel were studied for two years before she was sunk as a target in 1948.

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