The Belgian coast is but forty-two miles long, extending from Zeebrugge
at the northern extremity to Ostend---the Atlantic City of Belgium---at
the south, but there are a number of tiny harbors along the strip of
coastline, and these were infested by the light draft German warships,
particularly the destroyers. The American submarines in particular
were directing their attention toward these destroyers and seeking
to kill them off as they dashed out of their "fox holes" for flying
attacks against the allied navies.
One night, after a quiet day on patrol off the Belgian coast, the
_Dewey_ settled for the night close to shore at a point about five
miles southwest of the Belgian coast town of Blankenberghe, a tiny
fishing port with a small and almost land-locked harbor. It was a
strategic position directly on the course that would be taken by
German destroyers out of Zeebrugge bound for a raid off Dunkirk or
Calais. Lying under the sea, the _Dewey_ could hear approaching
vessels.
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