Spanish Civil War and shakedown cruise

Sailing from New York on 31 October 1936, Erie spent November and December 1936, on a shakedown cruise and in temporary duty with Squadron 40-T, protecting US interests and citizens during the Spanish Civil War.^[4]

On 26 November, Erie's Commander reported for formal duty with Squadron 40-T. On 5 December, Erie received orders to call on a number of ports along Spain's northern coast to check on US citizens and other foreign nationals with orders to evacuate them, if need be. Erie had three United States consular officials sailing with her, including the consul and vice consul of the US Consulate in Bilbao, and Walter C. Thurston, counselor for the United States embassy in Madrid. These men were tasked with authorizing travel documents of US citizens or any other nationals that were requesting evacuation from Spain. With this they converted Erie into a floating consulate, one of the duties for which the ship had been built. Erie dropped anchor in Bilbao, Spain, on 13 December, joining Fearless (H67). While in Bilbao, Erie flew ensigns, illuminated at night, on both of her masts. Negotiations between British, Basque, and US government officials were also held while in port, that led to the release of $400,000 in certificated securities owned by a United States utility company. The 5,000 certificates, weighing 120 lb (54 kg), were conveyed to Erie for transport back to New York City.^[4]

España incident

Leaving Bilbao on 15 December, Erie set sail for Santander and Gijon, to check on US nationals living in these two towns. The ship arrived in Port Musel, Gijon, around 08:00 on 17 December, and began to prepare a shore party for bringing back aboard any persons seeking evacuation. Around 08:30 a naval bombardment was launched by the rebel Spanish battleship España, her twelve-inch guns lofting three rounds into the harbor, with one landing within 300 yd (274 m) of Erie. General Quarters was called with preparations made to evade España's gun fire, but no return fire from Erie was ordered, and España almost immediately steamed away in the direction of the Bay of Biscay.^[4]

Newspapers back in the United States declared the incident as an attack on Erie, with some going as far as saying that seven rounds had been fired at her, with one landing as close as 100 yards (91 m). However, it appears, and Commander Hanson agreed, that the battleship's actions were merely part of an ongoing operation against loyalist forces that controlled Gijon. When Commander Hanson radioed his initial report to Washington he stated that Erie was not hit and that there was no basis to conclude that España's target was Erie. Because of his report the US State Department decided to deem the incident inadvertent and that no retaliation was required by the US Government.^[4]

Erie's executive officer, Lt. Commander Herman P. Knickerbocker, made the only detailed public statement, shortly after returning to the US. The statement was published in The New York Times on 3 January 1937:

At 8 AM we dropped anchor behind the breakwater at Port Musel near Gijon in the Basque Republic, a Loyalist stronghold overlooking the Bay of Biscay. Our mission was to evacuate Americans and other accredited nationals.

Mist surrounded the horizon to the seaward and clung above the snow-capped Cantabrian Mountains inland. Boats were dipping alongside the lowered gangway as we prepared to send a party ashore. Twenty or thirty men stood by on deck.

The Officer of the Deck called attention to a rising plume of dirt on the hillside a mile away, thought it blasting in the quarry. We heard no sound. Some reported a second upheaval, but still we paid little attention.

Nearby, a second later, the crashing sound of a large shell landing was accompanied by the sight of harbor water and sand cascading on high. The distance away was equivalent to seven short city blocks. A trolley passing leisurely along the waterfront leaped forward, clanging madly, as the motorman drove to safety.

We supposed the town was under bombardment. It never occurred to us that we might be the target. Commander Hanson ordered all hands to stand by and to move out of range. Large United States ensigns flew at the flagstaff aft and on the foremost top, although it is doubtful if they could be recognized far away.

Identification of a battleship's silhouette six miles at sea indicated the intruder was the rebel warship España. At any event, before we changed position, she sailed off on a westerly course in a cloud of black smoke.^[4]

Evacuation of refugees and return to the US

Beginning on 18 December, Erie retraced its route across the northern coast of Spain to San Juan de Luz, landing eight Filipino, Puerto Rican, and Polish evacuees, along with the consular officials.^[4]

Erie was then dispatched from Squadron 40-T, with orders to immediately return to the United States. After sailing through heavy seas for the Azores, Erie reached Ponta Delgada, on 22 December, and set course the next day for the New York Navy Yards. Erie was severely battered by high seas and gale-force winds of the Atlantic on the return crossing, leaving several hull plates damaged. Erie arrived and moored up at the New York Navy Yard on the morning of 30 December, having completed the two-month shakedown cruise.^[4]

It was concluded that all the ship's systems and power plant had performed well during the shakedown, though cruising speed had been kept well below the maximum speed of 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph). The raked clipper bow had done well in keeping green water off the forward six-inch gun turret, even in the very rough sea conditions that had been encountered. In addition to damage to the hull plates, there were issues with Erie's radio direction finder which were dealt with in early 1937, as Erie prepared for standardization trials.^[4][5]

Training service at Annapolis

The ship was then assigned duties at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Erie would be the lead vessel for the Coastal Cruising Detachment taking members of the Academy's second (junior) class on cruises to North Atlantic ports throughout the summer. From 7 May to 25 October 1937, Erie trained midshipmen, operating out of the Naval Academy, on afternoon training cruises during academic months then on an east coast cruise during June, July, and August.^[4]

On 11 May, while returning from a drill, Erie rammed the Santee dock while being berthed. The crash put a foot-deep indentation in her clipper bow that would necessitate repair before she could leave on a June cruise with the Coastal Cruising Detachment.^[4]

To celebrate the friendship visit of Commodore Matthew Perry to Japan in 1853, the Naval Academy hosted Japanese officials at a colorful re-enactment pageant on the Severn River and the Dewey Basin on 29 May. Erie, along with the destroyers Manley and Decatur, illuminated the festivities with their searchlights. They, and a number of sub chasers and small patrol boats, also paraded around the basin after a fireworks display that was viewed by 10,000 spectators.^[4]

Panama Canal service

18 December 1938.

On 24 January 1938, with an overhaul finished, Erie got underway for the homeport of SPERON, Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone, with a first stop at the Naval Operating Base at Norfolk to turn in aviation equipment and spares, and to take ammunition aboard. The ship set sail for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 26 January, and arrived at Cristóbal on 3 February 1938. Erie immediately transited the Panama Canal, for the first time, berthed at Balboa, the Canal's Pacific terminus, and reported for duty with SPERON. Balboa would be Erie's homeport until being transferred to the Offshore Patrol-Atlantic of the Panama Sea Frontier, and subsequently, to the Caribbean Sea Frontier Task Force in 1942.^[4]

On 21 February, the SOC-2 "Seagull" biplane scouts were removed from Erie and Charleston, and the aviation units decommissioned. Admiral William Leahy, Chief of Naval Operations, would state in his fiscal year 1938 report that the planes were removed because of technical difficulties in handling the aircraft. They were later replaced with monoplane OS2U "Kingfishers".^[4]

On 27 April, Erie's first commander, Commander Edward Hanson, departed for American Samoa to serve as the island's 28th Naval Governor, he took office on 26 June 1938. In July 1940, he would assume command of the Naval Station at Tutuila, American Samoa.^[4]

The only other major events for Erie would be spending the rest of April through 21 July, on a three-month goodwill tour of ten ports in eight Central and South American countries. Erie left Balboa on 17 April 1938, for Guayaquil, Ecuador, with Rear Admiral Williams and his flagstaff aboard. On 29 April, Erie's first "Crossing the Line" ceremony was held, which saw all of the ship's Navy and Marine "Pollywogs" initiated into the "Ancient Order of the Deep." Erie arrived in Guayaquil, on 30 April, for an eight-day stop, during which the ship hosted Ecuadorian officials and made shore visits that were both political and social in nature. Erie finished the year on a special mission to the Galapagos Islands, in December, to explore their suitability for enhancing the defense of the Panama Canal.^[5]

Cavalier incident

On 21 January 1939, Erie participated in search-and-rescue efforts related to the ditching and sinking of the Imperial Airways Short Empire flying boat Cavalier in the Atlantic Ocean. Erie transferred a doctor to the commercial tanker Esso Baytown, which rescued the airliner's 10 survivors, but because of the high seas and darkness had to discontinue the search for the other three people who had been aboard Cavalier.^[8]

Battle of the Caribbean

At the outbreak of World War II Erie was stationed Balboa, Panama, at the Pacific end of the Panama Canal. On 13 December 1941, Erie picked up 50 Japanese internees at Puntarenas, from the Costa Rican government. On 14 December, Erie boarded MV Sea Boy and removed a Japanese national on board, and ordered Sea Boy into Balboa the next day. On 16 December, Erie crewmen boarded MV Santa Margarita and ordered it to Puntarenas, and later the same day, towed a disabled motor boat, Orion, into the same port.^[9]

In June 1942, Erie was transferred to Cristóbal, at the Atlantic end of the Canal, and joined the Battle of the Caribbean against German U-boats operating between Panama and Cuba.^[4]

On 12 June 1942, Erie rescued the master and 45 other survivors of the British steamship Fort Good Hope at location 10°12′0″N 80°14′30″W / 10.20000°N 80.24167°W / 10.20000; -80.24167 after having been sunk by U-159 at location 10°19′0″N 80°16′0″W / 10.31667°N 80.26667°W / 10.31667; -80.26667. After salvaging the lifeboat, Erie joined with a patrol plane in prosecuting a submarine contact, ultimately dropping six depth charges with no result. Erie then went on to transfer Fort Good Hope's survivors and their lifeboats to submarine chaser PC-209.^[9]

On 15 June 1942, Erie rescued the master and 22 survivors of the U.S. bulk carrier Lebore, off St. Andrews Island, after it had been sunk by U-172 the day before. After embarking the merchant sailors at 12°35′N 81°42′W / 12.583°N 81.700°W / 12.583; -81.700 Erie sank their lifeboat with gunfire to prevent a menace to navigation. The next day, along with the destroyer Tattnall, Erie rescued 8 Armed Guards from Lebore along with 49 survivors from the Dutch steamship Crijnssen which Lebore had rescued on 11 June, after their ship had been sunk by U-504 at 18°14′0″N 85°11′0″W / 18.23333°N 85.18333°W / 18.23333; -85.18333.^[9]

Sinking of Erie

On Tuesday, 10 November 1942, Erie left Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, leading convoy TAG-20 en route to Guantanamo Bay. Erie was accompanied by the destroyer Biddle, corvette Spry, and three PC-461-class submarine chasers PC-545, PC-573, and PC-573.

Two days out they approached Curaçao. At 11:30 Van Kinsbergen (1939), PC-583, PC-589, SC-533, and a PT boat had left from Willemstad, to patrol the area while Queen Wilhelmina left with additional ships that were to join the convoy.^[4]

At 16:35 the subsidiary convoy met up with the main convoy. At 17:03 Erie was struck by one of three torpedoes fired by U-163. The captain had taken the conn at 5:02 pm and ordered "right standard rudder" to investigate spray on the starboard beam. It was then that a torpedo was sighted 2,000 yd (1,800 m) out. "Left full rudder" was ordered but two more torpedoes were sighted abaft the starboard beam, the siren was sounded and as Erie swung left, the ship was struck in the starboard quarter. Erie had been struck in one of its oil bunkers, and immediately started burning with all engines stopping and loss of electrical power. By 17:40 Erie was listing to starboard and down by the stern with partial power restored and the starboard engine in use. At 17:44 the starboard engine was stopped and the #2 boiler cut in. At 17:45 two severe explosions in the #4 gun shelter rocked Erie, followed within five minutes by two more explosions in the #4 gun shelter. At 17:55, "all stop" was ordered and three motor whaleboats were lowered to search for casualties with an additional boat lowered at 18:00 with injured personnel. The ship began moving forward again on the port engine heading for the beach. The crew began heaving the powder from the #3 ready room overboard at 18:12 to prevent it from exploding too. "All engines stop" was called six minutes later, with the main deck under water by 18:20. At 18:23 Erie hit bottom, and "back full" was called as Erie beached itself 100 yd (91 m) off shore. With oil on the water around the ship on fire, the captain called for "all hands abandon ship" at 18:26. The explosion and fire had killed seven of the crew, including officers Lt. Ned James Wentz, Lt. George Kunkle and wounded 11 more. Erie was beached to prevent sinking, and burned for days.^[9]

Biddle, Spry, and SC-533 searched the area around Erie. SC-533 "dropped destructive barrage" ahead of Erie as the ship headed east toward the beach.^[10] The PT boat also dropped depth charges and was seen to be fired upon by a merchantman. Three airplanes joined the search. PC-545 reported seeing a submarine and opened fire. PC-624, Van Kinsbergen and Queen Wilhelmina circled around to join the hunt about six miles (9.7 km) but were unable to get a fix on the contact. Spry followed Erie toward Curaçao, with Biddle attempting to come along Erie to help with fire fighting, but because of the explosions was unable to get close enough.^[4]

It was later believed that the U-boat had escaped by going under the convoy to disguise its sound, and was able to flee the area.^[4]