The Sinking of the SS Aztec Before U.S. Entry Into World War I

Yesterday,  I wrote about the death of the first U.S. serviceman to die in the war, John Eopolucci who perished in a lifeboat from the steamer of the SS Aztec after it was torpedoed on April 1, 1917.

A little more information on it:

The Aztec was sunk by the German submarine U-46 off western France with a loss of 26 lives out of a crew of 49.  The Aztec was an armed steamship with two 3-inch guns manned by 12 U.S. Navy gunners.

This Even Though We Weren't Officially At War Yet.  --Cooter