The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-18
ALBANIAN 10 First American
Slain in Action on Warship
Since Spanish War
DAMAGED VESSEL
ARRIVES In PORT
Details of Encounter Are With
held But Casually List Is
Made Public by Secretary
Daniels

Washington, Oct. 1.-THE first man
of war since the Spanish war has been
sacrificed to a German U-boat The
navy department tonight announced
that an American destroyer was
torpedoed yesterday In European
waters. one killed and FIVE slightly
wounded The vessel was not sunk
and has since made port.
The man killed was blown over
board and his body was not recovered.
Ingram, whose mother, Bette In
gram. lives at 5o4 Third street. Pratt
City. Ala
Wounded (none seriously injured):
Herman Henry Pankratz, gunner,s
mate. second class. next OF kin, broth
er, Robert William Pankratz, 4sla
Lee avenue. ST. Louis; William Ed
| ward Merritt. seaman, next of kin.
| mother Ellen Merritt. 2s4 East
Firtyfourth street, New York. Frank
William Kruse, seaman. first class,
next OF kin, wife, Margaret Krise,
724 Indian avenue, Toledo. Ohio:
| Patrick Ruthledge, oiler. next of kin.
wife, Norma Rutledge. All West
Thirty first street, New York: William
| Seimer, fireman. second class, next of
kin. father, Henry Seimer, Dunkas.
MINI.
No details OF the encounter were
made public. The name OF the ship
| and the exact location OF the attack
are withheld. But the casualties were
announced Immediately upon receipt
of a message from vice-Admiral Sims.
In accordance with the pledge OF
Secretary Daniels to make public
promptly all casualties in the feet
abroad
| TIE large number OF fire-roorn men
Of the casualty list would Indicate
that the vessel was hit amidship-
Yet IL she had been so torpedoed
naval officers do not see how she
could so promptly have made port.
The more probable theory OF the
attack advanced tonight is that tho
vessel was struck either well forward
or well aft and that the explosion did
little damage to the ships vitais.
This was sustained by the know
ledge that. the usual method pursued
upon sighting submarine OF tor
pedo Is TO turn the ship either direct
lv toward or directly away from the
line OF attack so as to present this
smallest possible target
IT is believed here that the destroy
err undoubtedly was pointed for the
submarine when struck
The principal comment heard
among naval officers when the news
of the attack was made public was
thet IL demonstrated the remarkable
efficiency OF our patrol squadrons. II
is an open secret that scores. II not
hundreds. e. our vessels have been
patroiling the most thickly infested
submarine lanes for weeks and
months. This is the first report Of .
hit being scored by the enemy.
There have been many reports OF
hits scored by our destroyers. The
navy department is inclined to be-
lieve that many German Uboats have
not only been hit but sunk.
The attack strengthens rather than
lessons the faith OF the navy In the
destroyer as the type of vessel best
ada pied TO combat the submarine. A
smaller vessel. IL hit, would have been
blown to pieces 1t was pointed out
tonight while larger one would
have lacked the evident facility of the
destroyer to Vancouver.
Other men have been killed in ac-
ton with the Germans since this
United States declared war, but they
have been the members of the armed
guard OF merchantmen struck by shell
fragments or drowned by U-boats.
Ingram is the first man aboard
naval vessel to give his life to an
enemy shot since the Spanish war.
The bluejackets who fought and died
at Vera Cruz fought and died ashore.