Historic USS Jacob Jones Bell Recovered from WWI Wreckage

The bell of the USS Jacob Jones, the first U.S. Navy destroyer sunk by enemy fire in WWI, has been retrieved from its wreck off the coast of England.

A specialized salvage unit recovered the 80-pound brass bell from the USS Jacob Jones, sunk in 1917 by a German submarine's torpedo.
The recovery operation was conducted due to concerns over unauthorized salvaging of the bell, intended to serve as a memorial to fallen sailors.
The bell will undergo conservation treatment at the NHHC's Underwater Archaeology Branch before being displayed at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy.
The USS Jacob Jones is credited with rescuing 374 crew members and passengers from torpedoed ships during its deployment.
The shipwreck, discovered in 2022, is considered a hallowed war grave and the final resting place for many of the 64 men lost in the sinking.