New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-08-30
TWICE LEFT TO DIE
BY GERMAN U-BOATS
New Britain Gunner Relates Ex-
perienCeS With Submarines


German Uboats and on one occasion
while drifting from the wreckage in
life boat having a personal con-
versation with the German naval
commander Is but a small item in the
interesting account of his life in the
war zone as told by John Sylvester
Long, son of Mr.. and Mrs. John F..
Long, U. S. Navy, of 321 Elm street,
VINO Is enjoying short furlough at
MS nome here after having recently
arrived back in the United States
from his third voyage to Europe since
war was declared. Young Long, who
has many friends in this city where
ne attended the public schools, hav-
ing been graduated from the Central
Grammar school four years ago, Is a,
member Of the crew of the u S. S.
Dreadnought Arizona, one Of the
greatest fighting machines on the
seas. Although he enlisted as a sea-
man, the young sailor by faithful ap-
plication has been advanced through
the various grades until today he has a
coxswain's rating. When war was
declared with Germany and the United
States decided to arm all merchant
men many gun crews were taken
from the battleships to man the mer-
chantmen. Young Long, then re-
Gently appointed gun captain. was
one of the first men picked and was
assigned to the Inflated Standard
Oil tanker Vacuum.
Adrift Thirty-fou Hours.
The young sailor told Herald man
of his narrow escapes at sea and
cheerfully admitted that as he saw
- -so
torpedo speeding towards his ship
his hair stood on end and little old
New Britain never seemed more like
heaven, or ever any further away.
His first experience with the enemy
on the high sea came on May %. The
Vacuum, with an armed gun crew
from the u. S. s. Nevada, had put out
from an American port q week pre-
viously. On the morning of May 20
there was not a ship to be seen on the
horizon when suddenly the lookout
sighted the periscope Of the U-boat
and an instant later all hands saw the
torpedo speeding on its journey of
destruction and death. The torpedo
struck the tanker amidships a few
seconds later with a deafening report
Ind a force which ripped the vessel
from stem to stern. So great was
the force of the explosion that the
boat sank in less than a minute, CIV
ing the crew but little time to scram-
BILE into the life boats, which had
been continually hanging from the
davits near the water line. All of
the crew, with the exception OF 23
men, escaped. At this time Coxswain
Long states that the crew was adrlft
in the open sea for "a hours, with
neither food nor water, and were In
a terrible condition when finally
sighted and picked up off the coast
of Scotland by the Shipwreck Ma
riners' association. During this peri
cd Long was compelled to sit at the
tiller of his life boat for % consecu-
tive hours. Other members of the
crew had to take their turn at the
oars and during the struggle three OF
the young gun captains crew died
from hunger and exposure. They
we're buried at sea. After arriving
in Scotland the crew OF the United
States battleship were sent back to
America on the liner st. Paul.
Wounded by Shrapnel.
Less than a month later the local
boy was again sent to sea in charge
OF a gun crew from the navy aboard
tho freighter Moreno. At this time
the lookout on the Moreno sighted
the submarine on June IL and at
about the same time the lookout at
the periscope located the American
vessel. The gun crew, while in hos
tile waters, remained continuously at
their guns and were instantly on the
alert awaiting the order to fire. Press
emily the submarine discharged
three-inch shell which broke across
the bows Of the Moreno. The gun
crew returned the fire and In the bat
tie which ensued over $50 shots were
exchanged. In the end the U-boat
was victorious, sinking the Moreno
| by shell fire after missing the target
! with two torpedoes.
After the Moreno went down Cox
| swain Long says that the U-Boat
hove alongside Of the various life
| boats while the captain came out of
the coming tower to survey the VIC
tins. He paid but little attention to
| the crew OF the Moreno, but was in
| sistent to know whether any United
States naval gunners were aboard.
Long was dressed in civilian garb at
the time and the other members of
his crew had on dungarees so with
out any distinguishing marks the
! commander was unable to identity
the gunners and accepted the explain
alton when told that they had gone
down with the boat. At this time
I Long states that the submarine
commander who appeared to be a
young officer with "a hard looking
countenance, remarked that he dis
| liked his job OF sinking vessels, but
it was orders and his country was at
| war with the United States. He then
| submerged and that was the last the
crew of the Moreno ever saw OF
him. During the battle Long was
wounded on the wrist by a piece OF
shrapnel and after being picked up
by a Spanish tramp steamer was
sent to hospital in England for q