 Several ships were torpedoed within sight of East Coast cities such as New York and Boston; indeed, some civilians sat on beaches and watched battles between U.S. and German ships.Once convoys and air cover were introduced, sinking numbers were reduced and the U-boats shifted to attack shipping in the Gulf of Mexico, with 121 losses in June.In one instance, the tanker "Virginia" was torpedoed in the mouth of the Mississippi River by the on May 12, 1942, killing 26 crewmen.