It must have been at least an hour later when our boat crew returned. They looked exhausted from the night's activity and also very sad. My friend informed me that the woman had died and the doctor, who may have been her husband, had pronounced her dead. He suggested they get out of the Andrea Doria before it capsized and took their lives too. Whether the doctor was the woman's husband or not I don't know for sure.
Real facts are often hard to come by during a disaster.
True to my promise, I found some liquor and the owners of this contraband willingly offered some for the boat crew. I can't remember what liquors I acquired, but it certainly was a mixture. The name stuck and at least for a few months, it could be bought at waterfront bars in Brooklyn. The sinking of a great and beautiful ship like the Andrea Doria is an experience that no one being involved can ever forget. The tragedy was so monumental that it seemed unreal.