I am writing a book about the history of destroyers through WW I and WW II (coming in the fall of 2018 from Regnery History in Washington, D.C.)

One chapter will describe how U-53 under Hans Rose entered the Newport, Rhode Island harbor in Oct. 1916 when the U.S. was still neutral. He asked that a letter be delivered to Ambassador Bernstorff in D.C. The next day the U-53 sank several British ships off Nantucket while surrounded by 17 different U.S. destroyers that could only watch.

A little over a year later the U-53 sank the USS Jacob Jones off the southern coast of England.

My questions: Does anyone know where to get a copy of that letter and an English translation? Did U-53 stumble onto the Jacob Jones, or had Rose stalked him for some time? Does anyone have a copy of his accounts of these two incidents (translated into English). One other question, Rose also radioed the position of the sinking destroyer back to its base in Ireland. Does anyone know exactly how he worded that message? (The Jones' radio shack had been destroyed by the torpedo).

Thanks for any help you can offer. This is my first visit to the UBoat.net message board.