U-156 attacked the tug Perth Amboy, its barges, and the schooner Lansford with gunfire, probably conserving scarce torpedoes against these slow targets. Perth Amboy was heavily damaged, while the schooner and three barges sank. Flying boats from the recently completed Naval Air Station Chatham dropped bombs that failed to explode, with inexperienced bomb-arming and loading personnel offered as the explanation. U-156 returned fire at the aircraft and sent shells into marshes and onto Orleans Beach. During the hour-long engagement, the submarine fired 147 rounds. A Coast Guard surf boat rescued 32 sailors without fatalities. Enemy shells reached American soil, but the shore was not the intended target, which distinguishes Orleans from Ellwood.
Chapter · 1:27:33-1:35:03
U-156 and the 1918 action off Orleans
During the Orleans action, a German U-boat attacked coastal traffic, exchanged fire with flying boats, and accidentally sent shells onto American soil.