February 5, 1918

The first U.S. ship carrying American troops to Europe during the First World War is torpedoed and sunk on February 5, 1918 near the coast of Ireland. The SS Tuscania, originally a luxury liner which was converted to a troopship for the war, was bombed by a German U-Boat off the Northern coast of Ireland. The ship intended to enter the Irish Sea from the north, after several close encounters with U-boats through out its voyage. However, the ship met its fate just seven miles from the Rathlin Island lighthouse, off the coast of Co. Antrim.  210 people died.