Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1918-06-06
COOK PROVED HERO
HIs Deed Of Bravery Deserves to
Be Recorded.
Joseph MarcIo's Saving Of comrade
Washed Overheard Proof That
Courage In Navy lie Not Con-
fined 10 the Fighters.

Many brave things have been done
by the men Of these hard-driven Amer
lean ships, and one Of them stands out
superbIy. writes Ralph d. Paine In the
Saturday Evening Post. It was the
rescue OF a man overheard In the
midst of q storm. This vessel was
caught out in It while on convoy duty
and her survival was little short Of
miracle. The French marines called
It the worst blow the Bay Of Blscay
had seen in eight years. Its violence
was that of hurricane. with a wind
velocity approaching q hundred miles
an hour, such q storm as would have
sOrely pounded and damaged great
Atlantic liner.
The ship was more or less knocked
into klndling wood. both masts broken
on and rolled out Of her, all three boats
smashed and carried away, decks gut
ted, life rails splintered, compartments
flooded. The ship was rolling 50 de-
grees, or almost fat on her side, and
when she plunged, more than half the
length OF her keel was in the air In
the midst OF II the steering gear jam
med and the ship was likely to breach
to and founder unless II could be clear
ed. The chief quartermaster, ID. II.
Robertson. volunteered for the Job
and was presently washed overheard,
carried on to leewafd on the back OF
a roaring sea.
There was not one chance In a mill
lion Of saving him. He was as good as
dead, and vanished. The ship was rum
ming before the storm and a quarter
OF an hour passed before she could be
brought 70, a very dangerous maneu-
yer, which again swept her clean. The
quartermaster had not gone down, but
was visible on the lee bow, swimming
with the courage Of a man who re-
fuses to surrender TO the inevitable.
Lines were thrown to him. but he was
unable TO reach them. Even II the
boats had not been smashed II would
have been impossible to launch one.
A life raft was showed over, and II
floated toward Robertson 80 that no
could clutch II and hang on.
This was merely to prolong his az.
ony, however, for he could do nothing
more 70 help himself. He had been In
the water ~ minutes. buffeted, strang-
led, freezing. The month was Decem-
Der. the temperature Of the sea 30 de-
aI9es. Among those who looked on
and pitied the exhausted man who had
mada such a plucky aght Of Il was the
ships cook. Joseph Marcso. His realm
Of pots and pans being wrecked and
awash, he turned his attention to this
affair Of the drowning quartermaster.
Knotting Q line about bis middle and
making no fuss about It he jumped In
20 the sea and swan to Robertson, q
veritable porpoise Of a sea cook with
a soul as big as all outdoors.
The ship had some way on her and
could not be wholly stopped. 1t hap
pened, therefore, that when the cook
grabbed the quartermaster they were
slowly towed through the seas. The
strain was terrific and the rope nearly
cut the cook in two, but he chung to his
man until they were fetched alongside
and hauled aboard together
The quartermaster was unconscious,
and the cook also collapsed on deck,
but was thawed out with no serious
damage. This Joseph Marcio was
promoted to the rating Of chief com
missary steward in recognition OF the
deed and was recommended for the
gold life-saving medal of the navy de-
pertment.