Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-05
GALLANT SAILOR
Saves Submarine Boat Adder
from Certain Destruction.
Swims 100 Yards Through Terrific
Surf With a Line.
Finally Reaches the Craft and She Is
Pulled Off.

Norfolk. Va, Dec. 4.-The naval tug
Peoria. towing the submarine torpedo
boat Adder has arrived at he navy yard
here. The Adder was saved by the
heroism of Boatswain Deery, who re-
sponded to q call for volunteers and
swan 100 yards with a line to the Adder
from the tug and pulled a hawser after
him. The Moccasin is ashore at Cur
rituck and appears to be only slightly
damaged. The Adder is leaking badly
and her electrical machinery is badly
damaged.
The Peoria left, tonight, for Carri-
tuck, to aid the Yankton and Vixen in
floating the Moccasin, which IS no"
high and dry upon the beach.
When Boatswain Deery responded to
the call for a volunteer to swim to the
Adder, a 34-mile gale, with mountain
Gus seas. was crashing over the Peoria
and b,lrying the drifting submarine
boats beneath tons OF %ater. Deery,
with IL slender line fastened around his
waist, plunged into the ocean and bat
tied with wind and tide for II full hum
dred yards, finally reaching the Adder
and gaining her deck. There he hauled
Il thick hawser aboard by means of the
life lire and made it fast.
All this time the Adder was being
tossed about like a cork, one minute
being driven beneath the surface, the
next minute rolling and tossing in such
4 manner as to make it almost impoS-
sble to retain a position upon her
scanty decking, but Deery held on and
accomplished his work. Then he went
to the tug hand over hand on the
haWser.
Great confusion was caused here, TODAY,
by conflicting reports regarding the
wherea bouts of the Peoria, Adder and
Hankton. The navy yard was without
any information whatever and the wealth
er bureau reported the tug and the Adj
der as going direct to Annapolis.
IN naval circles these circumstances to-
gether with the inability of life savers 20
enter the stranded vessel caused some
uncasiness, especially over the condition
of the Mecca sin.
The Currituck life saving station re-
ports the Moccasin in good condition with
out any water in her
From the reports received however. it
is not thought any Roadway can be mad
toward floating the vessel without the aid
Of wreckers. as she is high and dry upon
the beach at low water and in Il nasty
surf at high tide. 1t is said at the navy
yard, today. that Boatswain Deery will
he commended at once to President Roose-
Welt for bravery.
Lieut. English, commanding officer of
the Peoria, says the little boats towed
very well until they were just off the
Virginia capes. There the heavy seas
running at the time proved too much for
the frail towing bits of the Adder, which
was towing first. following the tug. They
snapped short and the two submarine
vessels went adrift.
The Peoria sought to catch them but
they drifted southwark before the wind
rapidly. There were only the broken bits
on which to get a hold so the tug could
co;Ild only run in between them and keep
them from humping together.
The seas were running entirely too high,
the lieutenant said, for the tug to ruE
alongside the boats. and il would have
been suicidal to have lowered Il boat All
the Peoria could do was to keep the boats
apart. All Wednesday night, this contin-
ned and then the line between the boats
snapped.
1t was then that Boatswain Deery. who
comes from Brooklyn. performed his he
roc act in u last attempt to save the
bonts. After he had made his line fast
to tho Adder and succeeded at the risk
of his life in regainnE the tug. conSid-
Grafton was given to anchorinG the Moe
casn, but it was seen that it would be
impossible to anchor her. The tug, it
was found. could handle only one of the
boats In the heavy seas. The Yankton
appeared and the MocCaSin WAS left to
her while the Peoria fought her way up
the coast with the Adder. Great seas
swept her bows all night, and she had Il
hard time reaching pert.