On July 20, 1921, the Navy brought out the ex-German World War I battleship, . On the scheduled day, 230, 550, and bomb attacks by Navy, Marine Corps, and Army aircraft settled the "Ostfriesland" three feet by the stern with a five-degree list to port. She was taking on water. Further bombing was delayed a day, the Navy claiming due to rough seas that prevented their Board of Observers from going aboard, the Air Service countering that as the Army bombers approached, they were ordered not to attack. Mitchell's bombers were forced to circle for 47 minutes, as a result of which they dropped only half their bombs, and none of their large bombs.