The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-08-03
HERO Of
MEDITERRANEAN
Joe Green of Newport News QueIIs
Race Riot on Upturned Life
Boat by Superb Moral and Phys
ieal Courage--Consress Should
Award a Medal of Honor.

The individual sct- OF heroisrn OF the
present War presents no ca-e of moral
physical and Christian courage equal o.
that of Joe t'n~n of Newport News. Va.
n mulete~r "n the torI',~io~,i freighter in
the Mediterranean
The IRON Gross Oi Germany. tlie Victo-
ria cross OF England. the Legion of Hon
or oi France have bten awarded for At.
| lar le-- hrroIc aud We chronicles the story
with the hope that an American Con
sre-. will investigate and consider Joe
,ire-n ior medal of honor. His a.
w2s one oi moral and Christian courage.
~ we'll as physical heroi-m.
The story - told 10y Dr. r.. A. Oarpen-
Ten. an American surgeon in the British
transport service.
we lad cut oil all lights one hot
night and ws- sitting M my cabin, where
J Was nnr-lng "A broken lex. when th-r.
came crash.
The Russia" -hivers-i ~ though she
werr All elastic band stretched tight. and
-on'e one had I'lnckrI Il like banjo
string. That tlle only way can ~x-
press Il.
- Right after the crash the ship heel.
over.
Our boat with about 80 men i'm IL
capsized.
Some of those who couldn tswirn, went
straight To the bottom, others Of us caught
tlIe sides of the boat, and those who
could swim were many Of them drownei
by comrades who clutciIed them round
the throat anil dragged them down.
Most Oi the men -crambIed up o. the
bpttom II the overturned
boat. lt-was all right until soma of
those in the water. vino were cIingins u
tie sides, tried u climb on " the already
crowded. b"ttpfn. They were not content
With having their heads kept out of the
water.
Naturally the overturned boat bexan
u roll. first u one SIDE, then the other.
Sofne OF those ON tie bottom got fright
ene'i ami showed the men, tr,ing to
scramble np, back int the sea. In +.
second terrible light for life VA in full
swing.
There were white nen and Negroes
ON the liie boat, and thc struggle quick
~ becsrne a race battle. White men
tried ~ pull their fellows ny on the boat
and -isped the Negroes oH and the Ne
groe- did the same.
A man stOoi about ~ much chsncs
oi stopping u ~ he did of pushing over
the rock of ''ilrsltar---at least. tbs. \.
the wsy u seemed, until one Negro. a
i'"r-emsn named Green from Newport
News, ro-e - far si,ove the ruck Of bu-
'nsnity about him that he turned tbe
brutal. lighting tumult into men again
lie restored democracy ON the bottom Of
that life boat.
"A lev Of n had kept cool enough 20
lie quietly on the overturned craft. ry-
ing 10 talk the Others into manhood opce
more. but ve might a. we'll have or,Isret
the -es ~ fScofne calm.
"Al Of sudden something hit me on
The back Of the head. Something rl.~
zrsbted me under tire shoulders. and
found myself in the water.
The blow ON the head had nearly
stunned me-, aud ~ss Just able 10 aoun-
Ter around enough ~ keep shoss. sos-
ienly felt 9 body bump against me.
and SOW the big black face Negro. Green.
Tight beside my own.
II went mad. ! thought he v~ s
ns 70 drown me, 20 make one le-- white
nan IN the beastly tight for life that %.
't'li raging. ] would have struck st him.
Dut my arms would not work.
AZ though in . dream, I felt his arm.
Zip under my shoulder.
You'll be oil night bcs," he ssid.
md struck out for the Iiieboss. ksspine
tOonsnosd On Pen al