The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1918-01-03
NAVY MAN TELLS
TALES Of THE SEA
Walter johnson, Son of C. A John.
son Has Been Cruising for
Raiders in the South
Pacific.

c. A. Johnson of Lexington has re-
ceived the following letter from HIS
son, Walter, now In the United States
Navy:
U. S. s. Frederick at some place
on the sea.
Dear Father:
I received letter from you about
week ago but have been out to sea,
so could not answer 1t until now.
Under the new rules of censorship
| can tell you where we have been ct
least a part of the time up to Octo-
ber II.
As you know. Bill Aubrey and l.,
the only ones from that part Of the
country. were assigned to the U. s. s.
Frederick, which used to be the bat
tleship Maryland. We left San Fran
cisco harbOr on the 18th day Of April
for San Diego. The next day we got
orders to 60 to''cut out by censor'a
We got back to San Diego May l.,
with everything safe. We took on
stores until May and when we left,
sailing south on May IL. Here we
left the feet and set chase after a
ship we thought to be German raj
der. We caught up with her at 2
o'clock and as she would not answer
our signals, fired two shots. ''cut out
by censor''.
We sighted land on the 18th Of
May and entered Guatemala bay af-
ter proper salutes. We anchored and
remained there for two days. We
then sailed south for two days and
on May Is entered the Panama Canal.
At $3.50 we went through the first
locks and arrived at Colon at 4:40
p. m. Here we started coaling and
left the next morning and sailed
southeast until the 3Oth, had big din
ner and target practice at sea. sail
Ing through the Caribbean Sea on
June End. We met two sailing YES
sells, still sailing south. On the 18th
OF June we had battle practice, fleet
formation south Of Cape st. Rogue.
Here we left the feet and sailed to-
wards Bahai. On the 18th we sight
ed a ship, firing one shot at her. On
the 18th we cast anchor in Rio har-
Dor.
The Brazilian Admiral came on
board and we fired 81 salutes. On
the 26th we coaled ship and on the
9th had smoker on shore. We
had a national parade on the 4th of
July at Rio De Janerio. We got un
der way on the Sth. sailing thirty
miles apart and on July 10, at $3.50
p. m. we came together in fleet for
nation. Moored ship at Montavidio,
where l was put on marine guard.
After sailing up and down the coast
until the 9th of August, we stopped
a sailing vessel and on the 18th stop
ped two more. On the evening Of the
22nd cast anchor in Bahi Had boat
drill until September 3, when we
coaled ship and got under way, sail
ing northeast. Stopped several ships
and fired on them when they refused
to answer. Stopped another ship and
got our mail from Swedish steamer.
On the 22nd we started after another
ship and fired on her when she would
not answer On the morning of the
18th we cast anchor In Montevidio.
At Montevidio we got stores. coaled
ship and sailed. On the 18th Of Oc-
tober we encountered an awful storm
at sea, all the boys got sick and water
run over the decks. Stretched life
lines to keep from being washed over
board. Sunday, the 25th, we crossed
the equator. At that time was In
the searchlight tower on watch. En-
tered the Canal at 6:45 of Dec. 4,
received 70 bags of mail. l got the
box of candy, Sunday Oregonian
and some Gazettes. Maybe you think
I wasn't glad to get this after being
out so long and on watch nearly all
the way. We are in dry dock In Bal
boa, after we will come to Hampton
Roads, probably to convoy.
This ends my tale of the sea so far,
but this is what Aubrey and I are
thankful for: that we are homeward
bound, that the windjammer didn't
jam us, that Bahi is not our home
port, that we didn't get married In
Rio and that the canteen prices can't
go much higher.
On Thanksgiving Day the Captain
made us the following talk: We have
many things to be thankful for. We
have worked some, we have played
some. We have learned to know each
other better and to trust each other
more. We were not sunk by raider.
Now 1t seems we might get submar-
Inc. But whether we meet a raider
or submarine or any other enemy
craft, let us thank God for the oppor-
tunity and go to 1t, so that our folks
at home will know that we are on the