Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-11-26
LIFE ON A CHASER
FULL OF THRILLS
Ivan D. Austin Relates Some
Stirring Marine Incidents.

In letter received by relatives
few days ago from Ivan D. Austin,
son of Mr. and Mrs. w. G.. Austin,
formerly of this city, who is serving
in the Naval Reserves, nd has been
doing duty on submarine chaser,
written from somewhere along the
Atlantic Coast, gives little of the
lief on board a submarine chaser. He
says in part:
j am now on Submarine Chaser
276, having been transferred from the
chaser first assigned our vessel meet
ing with serious accident some days
ago While cruising along the coast
some miles out from Boston, return
ing from our ammunition station. we
struck some sunken object. possibly
a destroyed vessel, or perhaps SUBJ
marine. Up to the present time we
have not figured out what it was 1t
was not thought the chaser was dam
aged to any extent until the day fol.
lowing when they put to sea with a
new destroyer, the Mehan, where they
tried out her radio set and needed our
set for testing. The destroyer made
us get up and hump with all the pow
er we could get out of our boat. Run
ming with full power it caused an aw-
full virbabion we had never noticed
before. About an hour later water
began to come up over the floor, one
of the shaft boxes being badly sprung.
rs we were far from land and night
coming on it gave me few cold shiv-
ers, yet in running slow we did not
take in much water and we heaved
a good long sigh when we reached
a harbor in safety.
A night later we went out acting
as noisy boat in order to have a
destroyer adjust their listening tubes.
This was a tiresome job as we had
to run slow, run fast, circle the de-
stroyer, and other things, and as it
AaobCu itOhl OLA " SlOIh W lWSlNG dl
night it was tiresome performance.
Gee, but it is getting cold here along
this cost. a@d the sweater, wrist
lets and the other things come in
mighty ham,. Thank you so much
for them The nights are extremely
cold. Give me good old Florida where
we are Living now. One of my ship
mates from California says the peo-
ole should be ashamed of themselves
for stealing this fool section of the
country from the Indians. Give him
good old California.
/ VIE had suite an experience on
Sunday night. and I was hoping we
had gotten our first sub. We were
making for Ma-blehead and reached
the submarine nets when we found
it was so foggy that the skipper turn
ed back to harbor. About 5 o'clock
in the evening we got word to put out
to sea about 20 miles off the coast to
search for a hydroplane that had fall
en- into the ocean. Subchaeers 1873
and 268 were sent out at the same
time with u.s. We had gotten out
about 25 miles when our wireless Cd.
orator received word that the plane
had been found but for the boats to
proceed on. doing patrol duty. About
10 miles further out red light was
sighted several miles off our star
board. The boats blinked in the night
to the object but received no answer.
We kept drawing nearer and still no
answer, and no other light appearing
made out an object which locked like
submarine. The order was given
to fire and the three boats made for
it firing rapidly. When within
hundred yards of it, by the aid of our
lseafchlight it was seen il was a hy-
idroplane that had fallen in the ocean
on Saturday. In the machine were
two aviators and they were scared so
badly from the effects Of their expos
lure an dthe danger they were in from
the gunfire they could not talk. They
had narrow escape as several of the
shots ali but wrecked the machine
completely. They had been in the
machine for over 3s hours and you
can bet they were happy at escaping
death. Well, it is too bad it was not
a sub for we all want a chance at de-