Commemorated:

Awards & Titles:

Mike: With Commander Robert L. Berry in command, USS Manley sailed November 25, 1917 to join the convoy escort and patrol forces based at Queenstown, Ireland. On the morning of March 19, 1918, while in charge of the escort for a convoy being brought to port, she was the victim of a tragic accident. She ranged alongside some fifty feet off HMS Motagua to deliver orders and Admiralty instructions and was making about 20 knots as the boatswain?s mate on the forecastle prepared to put a heaving line on board the British auxiliary cruiser. At that moment, Commander Berry felt a slight jar and ordered ?left rudder? but a violent explosion practically destroyed the stern of the destroyer, killing her executive officer, LCDR Richard M. Elliot, Jr. and 33 enlisted men. The HMS Motagua had rolled down on a depth charge in the depth charge projector which was mounted on the port side of Manley?s after deckhouse. The charge blew up in a shattering detonation as the destroyer shuddered and lost way. Manley?s bow climbed out of the water and her after platform was hidden in smoke as fragments pierced two 50-gallon drums of gasoline and two tanks containing 100 gallons of alcohol on skid frames over the engine room hatch. The leaking fluids caught fire as they ran along the deck to envelop and destroy the motor sailer, dory, punt and some wood stores, before working into the wreckage of the after crews? compartments. The fires raged and were not extinguished until late that night. The HMS Tamarisk edged up to the nearly fatally wounded destroyer and unsuccessfully tried to put a towline on board. Manley remained adrift until British tugs Blazer and Cartmel took her in tow after daylight March 20th. She reached Queenstown at dusk the following day with more than 70-feet of her hull awash or completely under water