David K. Stone (American, 1922 - 2001) "USS Reuben James Sunk" Original Oil painting on Masonite. Signed lower right. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 30c USS Reuben James stamp issued October 31, 1991. On October 23, 1941, the USS Reuben James departed from Newfoundland to join five other American destroyers serving as convoy escorts for British merchant vessels. In the early morning hours of October 31, a surfaced German U-boat spotted the convoy and transmitted the news of its find to other subs in the area. Ordered to locate the source of the transmissions, the Reuben James increased speed and swerved to port -- just as the U-562 fired two torpedoes. One sped harmlessly aside; the other caught the venerable destroyer below the bridge, splitting the ship in half and igniting the forward magazine. The vessel sank within five minutes, and one hundred fifteen men -- two-thirds of its crew -- perished. The USS Reuben James thus became the first American warship lost in the Battle of the Atlantic. Image Size: 27 x 19.5 in. Overall Size: 27 x 24 in. Unframed. (B13152 / B13153)