Naval convoys kept ships, crews safer during wartime

In 1918, during World War I, initially the German U-boats (submarines) controlled the seas. It turns out the same thing happened in World War II.

On Feb. 4, 1918, the German submarine, U-77 attacked the SS Tuscania, a U.S. steamship carrying over 2,000 service members from the United States to France. The German crew spotted the steamship about 8 miles off the coast of Ireland, and fired two torpedoes, one of which struck the ship on the starboard side. Over 2,100 service members were rescued.

In 1917, an official convoy system had been set up to protect merchant ships from enemy attacks while crossing the Atlantic. The ships would travel in larger groups, usually with the protection of the British Naval Forces. This system, in this case, did not protect the Tuscania from being hit but the system is credited with preventing countless attacks at sea and saving many lives, including these 2,100 service members due to the expedited response times if a ship was attacked.

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran and a business owner in Priest River.