Wrack

A dense fog; nine o'clock in the evening; the Santa Barbara Channel; 19 vessels of Destroyer Division 11 of the Battle Fleet speeding southward, bound from San Francisco to the San Diego base; 20 knots speed. Suddenly the leading boat struck the rocks, then the next, the next, the next. . . Seven were aground, piled on the rocks and beach, neatly at intervals of about 250 feet. The Delphy's siren warned the other twelve from the rocks.

The Navy Department received a telegram from Rear Admiral Sumner E. W. Kittelle, Commander of the Destroyer Squadron of the Battle Fleet: "Seven vessels landed on Pedernales Point [75 miles north of Santa Barbara]. Fuller, badly on rocks, listed 20 degrees starboard; Woodbury, same, listed 40 degrees port; Chauncey, high up inside rocks, and upright; Young, on beam end, three-quarters submerged; Delphy, on beam end, three-quarters submerged and broken in half: S. P. Lee, on beach under cliffs, listed 20 degrees port; Nicholas, broadside on beach, listed 20 degrees starboard.

"Investigation indications are that no vessel is capable of being salvaged without major salvage operations and full equipment."

Each vessel was manned by about six officers and 116 men. The loss of life approximated 23 men; the injured numbered 15, although about 100 were suffering from bruises and lacerations incurred in making shore. About 100 men were taken off by other ships standing by. The destroyers were in command of Captain Edward H. Watson. Rear Admiral Kittelle arrived on the scene and took charge.

Fog and treacherous cross currents while the vessels were running by dead reckoning were alleged as the cause of the wreck. The destroyers were 20 miles off their course.