South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-09
on AN
AMERICAN
SHIP

the sone-thought in mind Here the armed
guard. be organized overnight a separate
partment of the service, liners and steamers
tied at the docks and camoring for their and
crews, the country very impatient and unfairly
accusing government going sleep the job.
To lay hands scores guns the smaller
required was one phase of the problem put up the
They piled up storage like the old
12-pOunders in the East India warehouses of Salem
hundred wears ago war was impending and II was
known that great number of these secondary bat
terry pieces would be required to transports the
larger patrol vessels and the the auxiliary
task and very large The guns found.
however, and excellent guns they were, the
ships kept waiting longer than necessary to
build the platforms and mount the long weapons IN
position.
COMPLICATIONS ENCOUNTERED.
When getting gun there
plcatons. The six who put a four hve inch
gun through PAGES trained to together in
highly perfected team play. the
fleet that so many gun crews we're to be drafted
guard detached There
lamentations and protests in wardroon and on quar-
terdeck--unofficia course-and rumblings among
the chief petty officers. good sight setter pointer
was worth weight gold any ship The de
stroyers could bear lose any theirs.
they would into action when the really
broke The rivalry among the great. gray citadels OF
oattleships suffer their heing robbed
of men who could put hole through target 1t
situation rather TO the private conscience OF
the commanding officer If he had Puritan ancestry
he obeyed orders the letter and sent picked lot Of
-yunners If he let his professional zeal stand in the
way bit. the draft he forwarded was-weH, not
quite well trained Not such an easy matter 10
decide when there never enough crack gunners to
around.
KEEN LOT OF YOUNGSTERS
However, there to these first armed merchant
vessels wonderfully keen lot youngsters long
enough in service o required
them, directly charge chief gunners mates with
three four harsh marks enlistment stripes
their sleeves seasoned veterans who the
what the sergeants the regular army Their
OFFICERS may have reluctant o drafts
leave fleet the spirit of the gunners QUITE
otherwise. Instead of drilling in harbOr they were
10 put and the chance of action. They
the envy Of the shipmates left behind. Shooting up
hiatt
That ships were sinking every day. with never
opportunity tight back, torpedoed from ambush,
crews blown up their hunks engine rooms, or
sheled the boats. freezing and drowning hun
of miles from land failed TO check the enthu-
sasm Of tlese eager bluejackets properly
trained Fritz his submarine would blow him 70
hades. where he belonged
a sport they knew nothing whatever about.
could their officers teach them the lessons of
perience A target small, elusive and momentary
them natives Of inland states, who had been
sent from the Great Lakes training 20 the fleet
where they had their glimpse Cross
Ing the great adventure in itself Defen-
sive against submarine attack required
schooling a special kind there time 10
crews SO hastily drafted and aboard merchant
ships.
SENT TO NAVY YARD
In the fleet they had been units of a tremen ious
lighting force living between decks with a thousand
disciplined men Now they were to work out their
a ship. and it night sink swim for it. From
the fleet OF them the navy yard
an Atlantic port where the barracks were already
crowded with bluejaclSets and marines There o
place in the organized scheme OF things for these
rough riders of the sea. They berthed aboard