The Cassin did not attempt, even after this experience, to get to safety, but remained watching for the reappearance of the submarine. When the U-boat finally came to the surface, she was greeted with several shots from the Cassin and suddenly sank, or submerged. It is thought she was damaged and possibly destroyed.
The Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels, sent the following letter to the commander, the other officers, and the crew of the Cassin:—
"The Department has received the report of the action between the U. S. S. Cassin and a German submarine on October 15, 1917, and notes with gratification the highly commendable conduct of yourself, the other officers, and the crew of the Cassin. The manner in which the Cassin was kept under way with her steering-gear disabled and practically at the mercy of the submarine, and opened fire on her when she appeared, is well worthy of the best traditions of the Navy."
[Illustration: The U. S. Destroyer Fanning with depth bombs stored in run-ways on the after deck. These may be instantly released and dropped over the stern. (Refer to page 152.) The high explosives stored in crates on the after deck of the Cassin were in the same general location as the above, but not primed for action.]
Sometime later Secretary Daniels told the following story of the naming of a new and very fast destroyer:—
"Awhile ago I was asked to give a name to a new destroyer. I took up first the names of the great admirals, and then the great captains, and all the American heroes of the sea, and all were worthy. And then I thought of Osmond C. Ingram, second-class gunner's mate on the destroyer Cassin. I thought of the night when he was on watch and saw a U-boat's torpedo headed for his ship. He was standing near the place where the high explosives were stored, and the torpedo was headed for that spot. In a flash he was engaged in hurling overboard those deadly explosives, which would have destroyed the ship if they remained on board, and he managed to get rid of enough of them to save the lives of all the officers and sailors on board, but he lost his own life. So I named the newest and finest addition to the American navy the Osmond C. Ingram."