Complex sentence: Kerrick convinced the destroyer captains to divert course to Jolo Island to add substantially more firepower and on May 8, both destroyers, along with "Paragua" and the U.S. Army steam yacht were underway for Jolo.
Split into simpler sentences: Kerrick convinced the destroyer captains to divert course to Jolo to add more firepower. On May 8, both destroyers, along with "Paragua" and the U.S. Army steam yacht were underway for Jolo.