The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-20
g. s. Boatswain Fought Plung-
err to Very Last.
Even Fire in Gasoline Tank Did
Not Stop Him.
GERMANS PRAISED BRAVERY
They Said 1t Was the Best
Fight They Ever Saw.
The Last Gun Fired Until
Plunger Pin damned.

Washington. July 2o.-Andrew Co
passacki. chief boatswain's mate, has
earned his place among the select of
the United States navy's gamest fight
ers. His crisp official report made
public here tells his story.
For three hours he and gun crew
of twelve fought a German subma-
riIe from the deck of the steamship
Mcreni. her cargo of gasoline blazing
beneath their feet The battle took
place in the Mediterranean off Cape
De PaIos. Spain, in the early morning
of June T.
His fight brought cheers from the
Germans themselves
When the blaze aboard the Moreni
became too hot TO pass ammunition
to the after gun, when Hfeboats were
on fire and. the whole ship ablaze,
with steering gear shot away and the
ship running in circles, Copassackl
and two of his crew fought their way
thru flames to the forward gun They
drove the submarine back out of
range and abandoned the ship only
when the firing pin jammed in the
last available weapon.
Be it said to the credit of this U
boat commander that he recognized
the true old chivalry of the sea he
called their small boats about his
craft, tended their wounded. shook
hands with the captain and told him
it was the best fight a merchantmen
ever put up.
Copassack's Report.
Here is Copassaclxfs report
We were attacked by a submarine
at 4:05 a. m on June H. She was
off port quarter about 5000 yards
away. She fired four or five shots
before we located her We swung
around until our stern faced the sub
marine and returned the fire at
range of about 1000 yards The sub
marine stayed about 5000 or 5000
shots fell short We sent out call
for assistance.
After a half-hour fight we were
hit in the gasoline tank aft and a
fire started 1t was reported to me
that the ammunition aft was running
| low. Immediately I lined up the for
ward guns crew with the merchant
crew to pass ammunition from for
ward to aft About an hour later
| fire broke out all over the ship and
| it became impossible for the men to
pass any more ammunition aft When
1 saw such was the case 1 happened
/ to be abaft the main mast and 1 called
I for one Of the guns crew to go for
] ward with me- 1 reached the bridge,
I being burned on the way; the man
was unable to follow About this
time the steering gear was shot away
and the ship started to go around in
| circles.
! Coming down off the bridge 1 saw
| the captain and the boatswain who
were holding the falls ready to lower
I the Hfeboat- The captain said to come
| and get in the Iifeboat, as it was
! starting to burn 1 told him to wait.
| Fired Some More.
81 then noticed two of the guns
| crew in the Ifeboat- 1 ordered them
| went forward and manned the for
ward gun, with which we fired four
shots before the firing pin went out
of commission
When the submarine saw our fire
| was coming closer, she steamed full
/ speed astern so that We could not
see her. Then as We could fire nc
/ more and the captain called that the
| nfeboat was burning, we got into the
/ boat
The Hfeboat was upset when il
| hit the water and two of the merchant
| crew were lost.
| The after guns crew and mer-
chant crew left in their boat as fire
! would have burned it.
The submarine called the boats
alongside and congratulated US, shook
hands with the captain and told us
it was the best fight they had ever
| seen any merchantmen put up.
The Germans treated two men
| who had been wounded The COM
mander of the submarine said he
| would have towed US toward the
/ beach but for the fact that We had
/ called for assistance
About an hour after the subma-
| rine left we were picked up by the
| Spanish steamer Falbanera. who had
| received our call for assistance"