Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-07-17
AMERICAN SHIP WINS
BATTLE WITH A
U.BOAT
STORY OF GUNNER
RETURNED AMERICAN SAILOR
TELLS OF SEEING MEN OF SUB.
MERSlBLE SWIMMING ABOUT
IN SEA AFTER SHELL HITS ITS
MARK.

An American Port July 17.--How
American gunners aboard a transport
taking Uncle Sans troops to France.
sunk a German submarine, was told
today for the first time, by one OF the
gun crews who had just returned from
abroad
The gunner is James J. Bray. of
South Boston. He said the marks
manship of the transports naval crew
saved soldiers aboard the big trans
port from topedo attack.
After the submarine was struck he
said, the submarines 3 crew was seen
struggling in the water. They were
left to their fate.
Bray, who Is the son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Patrick Bray. of 1872 East Third
street, is an assistant gunner In the
navy. He was one of a picked crew
of fifty men from United States bat
tleship who were detailed on this par
ticular transport for the overseas ex-
petition.
The expeditions, composed Of the
transports and their conveys, left an
American port on June 2 and arrived
in France 13 days later. Bray's story
of the destruction of the submarine
is as follows:
/ When we were about half way
across, about 10 o'clock on the even
ing of June Z we sighted a submar-
inc. 1t fired torpedo which shot
across the bow of the transport. The
ship zigzagged. A second torpedo
swept across the how. We saw moth.
ing more of the submarine until the
next morning when we sighted what
we supposed was the same one 1t
had probably followed us.
we had picked crew of fifty
gunners from United States battle
ship. We Immediately opened fire.
striking the submarine and sinking
it. The officers and crew Of the u
boat were seen struggling in the wa
ter They were left to their fate.
1t was sad to see men helpless in
the water, but they were there to
sink and kill Uncle Sans boys so
they We're shown no mercy.
When we sank the U.boat no con-
voy was very near us, having gone
ahead probably to clear the way Of
submarines
ION the way over one Of the YES
sells threw overheard a dummy sub
marine it carried. This was hit
number of times in target practice,
so the men were in fine fettle when
they met the real thing.
Then men aboard were naturally
excited to a certain extent. They were
full of fight and anxious to smash at
any hostile thing that came in sight.
when the American soldiers land
e ed in France the scene was indescrib.
able. The French people went fairly
crazy at the sight of our boys"
Deny Story at Capitol.
w dSHiIlSlDIl, July tnc ldtC VI
their official reports, the story told by
Gunner John j. Bray, Of the drown
, ing of German submarine seamen be-
J fore the eyes of the American crew
} that sank the U-boat Is untrue, accord.
j. ing to navy Department officials
=, today.
"rhe soldiers and sailors have no
orders to fight in this manner, one Of
fetal stated. "Other nations at war
may permit crews Of vessels sunk to
drown, but we don't intend to do any
thing of the kind AS far as possible
I our fighting force will conduct them
t selves in a humane manner
r This Is understood thru all branch
s es of the service and being understood
}, we are not willing to admit the state
3 ment the crew Of which Bray was a
member permitted Germans to drown
!, before their eyes.
$ "Our official reports contained no
5 mention of this incident, although the
sinking of the U.boat was reported in
l. due form
D. Another U.Boat Victim.
:" Washington, July 1.-THE sinking
of the American schooner Childe
:, Harold by German submarine IN
y European waters June 20 was reported
to the State Department today. The
master and his crew Of eight we're all
saved and landed at Montevideo.
: The Ghilde Harold hailed from New
York;