I was a plank owner aboard the USS Ingraham DD444, serving 13 months at sea with this destroyer. At the time , I was S1/c and had my station in the Number 2 handling room. The Ingraham was based out of Charleston, SC, running to England and Ireland on convoy trips. Up to 22 August 1942, the Ingraham was lucky , having never lost a ship in a convoy while she was on station. We served in the Atlantic with many sister destroyers , including Buck, Mayo , Wilkes, and Swanson.

On the night of the 22 of August, I was in the Number 2 handling room reading the funny papers. Suddenly, i felt a big boom, the ship quivering, leaning to starboard, and jerking about. My immediate thinking was that we were hit by several torpedoes. I yelled up into the voice tube to the Number 2 gun turret above but received no answer. I then went about calling the Bridge, and also received no answer. The other guys with me in Number 2 handling room just stared at me in silence. I yelled to them that "we have to get out of here" but to no avail.

I undogged the hatch and felt the ship sinking beneath me. As i was climbing the ladder to the mount on the starboard side main deck, the water was lapping at my heels. I just let go and started swimming away from the ship. The Ingraham went down by the stern, after capsizing to starboard, in less than 2 minutes. There was a major explosion as the stern went under, caused by the depth charges going off.

I was in the water for 2 and 1/2 hours until the USS Bristol DD453 picked me up. I was sent to a hospital in Nova Scotia after leaving the Bristol. I never saw any of my shipmates again.

Luther Wilhelm S1/c
Plank owner and survivor
USS Ingraham DD444

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