The Unexpected Visitor
On the hazy Sunday morning of July 21, 1918, the residents and summer vacationers of Orleans were treated to a spectacle they never expected. Just three miles off the coast of Nauset Beach, a massive 213 foot German submarine, the U-156, surfaced and began a ninety-minute bombardment.
The Target: The Perth Amboy
The U-boat’s primary targets were the steel tugboat Perth Amboy and its four wooden barges. As the submarine unleashed nearly 150 shells, the peaceful morning was shattered by the roar of heavy artillery. While the tug was set ablaze and the barges were eventually sunk, miraculously, all 32 people on board, including women and children, were rescued by heroic Coast Guardsmen from Station 40 who rowed directly into the line of fire.
Shells on the Sand
What makes this event a permanent fixture in American history is that it remains the only time enemy fire struck the U.S. mainland during World War I. Due to what witnesses called "rotten marksmanship," several German shells overshot their maritime targets and slammed into the dunes of Nauset Beach and nearby marshes. Rather than fleeing in terror, hundreds of curious onlookers swarmed the bluffs to watch the "Battle of Orleans" unfold like a scene from a movie.
The Legacy of the Battle
The U-156 eventually submerged and escaped after being chased by seaplanes from the nearby Chatham Naval Air Station. Today, you can still visit the site where history was made. A commemorative plaque stands at Nauset Beach, marking the spot where the Great War briefly touched the sand of Cape Cod. It’s a powerful reminder that even our quietest coastal retreats have stories that connect them to the wider world.
