The only major U.S. warship lost in World War I was brought down by a German mine, new research confirms.
The USS San Diego sank about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from Fire Island, New York, on July 19, 1918. Although the ship went down rapidly — in just 28 minutes — 1,177 crewmembers survived and only six died. Naval historians had long suspected that a German submarine, U-156, was responsible for the sinking, but no one knew whether the weapon was a mine or a torpedo or if there was some other explanation, like sabotage or an accidental explosion.
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