Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-21
PRAISE NAVY GUNNERS
FOR SAVING OF SHIP
Men Aboard Armed Liner
Take Vessel to Port After
Torpedo Attack
ALL STAND BY POSTS
Secretary Daniels Reveals Bravery
Of Men of the Armenia in
War Zone
WASHINGTON, Jan. af.

Secretary of the Navy Daniels has
made public extracts of a report illus
trating the bravery OF men aboard an
armed liner, after the vessel had been
torpcdocd The ship, the Armenia, was
a1vcd and taken to port after being at
tackled
The Armenia was attacked early In
December while proceeding. under con-
voy. through the war zone. Men Of the
armed guard were at the guns and on
watch when. at night, n wireless mes
sage reported the torpedOing OF a ship
at another place. The commander OF the
guard instructed the men TO increase
their vigilance, avoid the use Of speaking
tubes and to clll to the bridge II n sub
marine was sighted shortly afterward
the wireless message was Cancelled.
Continuing, the commander OF the
guard states
with my binoculars / picked up a
light Oh the port beam. ] sang out 70
the mate, but got no answer. / called
second time. just as the words left
my mouth | saw 4 stream of water and
rubbish shoot into the air about $50
feet; "A shot came afterward. / mag
ined | saw one of our gun platforms 60
mp In the air, and | thought of the men
hll "dltn llltIFs , I've IlTSI NOTuS L
tered were. My God She is hit !
ORDERED rs FIRE ON SIGHT
AN the gunners were told to stick
to their guns and not to wait for orders
TO fire II anything came in sight.
81 noticed spotlghts about the decks
and "A scramble for the boats. Only a
few We're excited, / shouted TO keep
the spotlghts off or we would get a
second torpedo, and ! also told them
/ not to mind tho boats, but save the
/ ship.
About this time the engine-room
/ force started below. Then the captain
sang out:
"'If there is no water in the engine
room we can beach the ship This as
sured me that everything was all right:
/ The captain telegraphed full speed
/ ahead. Seeing the captain had on his
life preserNer. | got mluc.
THE boats We're made ready, but the
. armed guards were standing by their
guns. Orders were given TO lower the
boats and also TO cast of the liferafts.
! After inspecting the damage, 1 again
told the captain / thought we could
make It.
"The boats had put of. Seeing that
we We're under way, an officer in one
boat yelled to throw him "A line so he
could come on board with his men, but
there was no time 10 stop. \ destroyer
came alongside and picked up the men,
letting the boats go adrift
ltEIAlRS hEEB OCI WAITER
~ collision mat had been placed over
the hole. Flour In the hold had formed
a skin that kept the water from going
forward. The explosion had knocked
down three lookouts on the gun platform
The masthead lookouts slid down the
back stays so'fast l thought they had
jumped
The Armenia was got TO safety and
her cargo unloaded and found onlS
slightly damaged,
The behavior OF the navy guard i
described as splendid The men did nc
talking, but stuck by the guns, the com
mander says, even volunteering to -
b below to the engine room before the mel
Of the ships crew returned Mention
made Of the radio operator, Brown. II
kept sending his 5 q $ calls until tn
dynamo was shut down, when he wen
: to the bridge and kept ZIP communities
tons with the destroyer.
Chief BOatswain's Mate Stief Homiak
L. $. ~ who was i'm command of th'
: guard. has been commended for th'
p discipline he maintained, for devotion tS
duty and the results obtained from the
gun crew. The members of the guart
also have been commended.