The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-15


up in san Diego harbor. The Secre-
tary pays q tribute to each of the men
and recounts the manner in which each
displayed courage, and for which he
believes the men-nine OF them-are
entitled 10 medals from Congress
Most Of these men are we'll known in
Honolulu The recital goes TO show
what discipline does for the men in the
Navy. The order reads as follows:
Nav Department.
Washington. January 5. 1906.
General order No. 49,
The attention Of the Department has
been called TO the extraordinary hero
ism displayed by the officers and crew
Of the L : :. Bennington at the time
Of the lamen-able disaster which over
took that vessel while lying off San
Diego. Cal. on the forenoon of July 81
1905. The crisis, which occurred with
such terrible suddenness and destruc-
ton. was net by the officers and crew
with 70 diness and resource. Men
grievousIy wounded forgot their own
injuries and rushed back in the show
er of scalding water, steam. and ashes
to rescue their more unfortunate ship
mates.
Amid such a display Of self sacrifice
and heroism il IS difficult to select in
dividual cases, but. after a careful
perusal Of all of the reports and in ac-
cordance with the recommendation of
the commanding officer of the L. s. :.
Bennington. the commander in chief |
of the Pacific Squadron. and the Blu /
reau of Navigation the Department |
takes great pleasure in awarding |
medals Of honor and a gratuity Of one |
hundred dollars 70 each OF the men /
named below.
A brief extract from the report of the |
commander in chief Of the Pacific |
Squadron setting forth the individual |
acts Of the men TO whom the medals
of honor and a gratuity Of one hundred |
dollars are awarded. IS given opposite |
the names OF the men:
Clausey. John J., chief gunner's mate. |
Flooded the magazines. which were !
thought to be in imminent danger of
exploding. and was prominent in the
work Of rescuing the injured; visited
all parts Of the ship for this purpose
while they were filed with binding
steam and the decks covered with
scalding water and while the ship was
heavily listed. rapidly filing. and
thought liable to sink at any moment
The following survivors. who We're con-
fined. disabled and helpless below |
decks. attribute their rescue to
Clausey: Walter J. Martin. master at
arms first class: James McNanney,
fireman. first class, and ". A Holley.
shipwright- The great majority of the
survivors are unable TO state the identi-
ty OF the men who rescued them. but
the foregoing are positive that CIausey
personally carried them to places of
safety. In the case of w A. Holley, I
Clausey was assisted by Ra6e Grbitch.
seaman. IL
Brock. George F., carpenters mate,
second class Inspected all compart-
ments OF the ship for fire and leaks i'm
mediately after the explosion, while the ;
conditions were as previously describ-
ed; was prominent in the work OF res
cuing the injured below decks and Of
saving the ship.
Beers. Edward, seaman--Prominent
in the work of rescuing the injured
from confined spaces below decks, al :
though himself badly scaIded and 9TH l
erwise injured.
Cronan Willie. boatswain's mate,
second cIass.-Cronan was on the port !
side, forward, under the forecastle at
the tine Of the explosion. He was :
struck on the back by the rush Of :
steam and thrown on his face He &
c-awled forward TO the hatch. climbed !
to the forecastle. jumped overheard. :
swan TO the starboard gangway. and 7
climbed on board. Under orders from !
Lieutenant Yates he lowered the star
board Hfeboat, assisted by another
man. He then went TO the chief petty
officers quarters. machine shop. and
engine room, the conditions below be-
ing as already described. and helped in
the rescue Of the injured and the re- !
covery Of the dead. One Of the injured
whom he personally carried from the
berth deck was Wesley Taylor, seaman. a
who died a few days later Although ! =
severely scaIded. ne continued ar the 7
work until sent ashore BY Lieutenant | q
Yates with the ships log. L
Havis- Ravr~ond E. quartermaster
bird cIass.-Was prominent in the f
work Of rescuing the injured from con- b
1ned spaces below decks; the condi- T,
ions being as-aIready- described He f
was himself badly scalded and other y
wise injured ~
Fredericksen. Emil, water tender
Was prominent in the work OF rescu-
ng the injured from confined spaces :
below decks; the conditions being as :
previously described
Grbftch. Rade. seaman.-Went below. | L
Town forward hatch. Immediately after L
explosion and helped wounded gain the Il
upper deck Went aft on berth deck
Ealing This way out" In addition u
@ those whom he personally helped to $
safety. many survivors testify that c.
hey were able TO find the hatch !.
through hearing Grbitchs voice. Found | Z
II. A Holley. shipwright in the alley f,
way, helpless: and with the assistance d
If John J. CIausey, carried him to the Il
Ipper deck. Returned TO aleyways T
md found no more living Went down
machine shop ladder and found other
INJURED ard helpless persons and car
led them to place of safety In
answer to q call for volunteers, went
Town ash hoist 10 boiler room with
.-.-.-.,r.r IL rr-o- ,rrna HE q get At