El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-31
U-BOAT VICTIMS
LAUGH At DEATH
San Diego Survivor Writes
Description Of Men Who
Cheered Doomed Ship.

Hugh Franklin Cobb writes his
mother, Mrs. Howell Cobb. a letter in
which he describes the sinking OF the
San Diego in the Atlantic, July IS:
The San Diego left the Portsmouth
navy yard on the afternoon Of July
IS bound for New York. The afternoon
Of the 18th was clear at sea, as was
the morning OF the 18th.
7 was looking into the after eight
inch handling room about 11:10 when
7 heard the report Of an explosion.
and felt the ship raise about IS inches
or the port side.
Immediately the men down below
made a mad dash for the port hatch.
which was the only one open, trying
to get out. The ship rolled over TO
starboard and then back to port ]
did not get alarmed, until the ship
listed heavily TO port. then realized
the cause Of the explosion ran
back TO the port hatch and saw some
water coming down the hatch. I got
out before the flow increased IN size.
Fight While ship Sinks
when I got on the berth deck 1
saw water on the deck which was
coming from the engine compartment.
ran up the ladder to the boat deck,
server Sailors were manning the
port antiaircraft gun The six inch
gun started firing off the port side.
The men fired at everything in sight,
ranging from 100 yards TO the horizon.
Some OF the shells could be seen hit
ting Il or Is miles Off The water
would go up about 100 feet when a
shell exploded.
The men began going over the
sides I climbed on top Of the bull
warks TO dive from there. 7 had no
idea that the main deck was so far
from the water. As was coming up
my head came in contact with some
thing. and I saw some beautiful stars,
and started down again. When I
came up We started out with the tide.
Cheer Sinking ship.
7 turned TO look al the ship before
Il was too late. The captain was down
On the bilge keel with several officers
and some Of the men. One man called
for three cheers for the san Diego
after the men gave the three cheers.
they started running forward along
the bilge keel and jumping of the
keel 7 started swimming again.
saw one fellow who was living hard
time trying TO swim, so / started for
him to give him my life preserver. ]
saw he had blood running over his
right eye. He said he was not badly
hurt, so after gave him my life pre-
server I started on loked back al
the ship and saw her 90 down The
stacks broke off when they hit the
water, and the after turret fell Off
We sang The Star Spangled Banner
as she went down.
Leaves Crowded Raft.
i reached a life raft, and got on It
It was 50 crowded that after rested
little I showed of for another one.
One OF the men on she next raft had
a canteen OF fresh water. and / got a
drink, the salt water was burning my
throat. I got a spare life presrver off
this raft and started swimming again.
The water was pretty cool
Laugh at Danger.
The men on RATS were singing and
Joking IS though nothing had hap
pened- I believe they all expected a
sub 10 come Up and NOW US down
with machine guns Some Of them |
said they were going TO try 20 get
ahold OF the periscope II It was pos
sible. The captain was In a cutter. /
and had a crew OF men 70 man the I
oars He was rowing among the men, /
giving orders and picking up the sick /
and wounded. Il seemed as though !
We we're on a picnic. Il was hard !
10 believe the ship was lost She
went down IS minutes after she was 4
struck
The men were scattered out for /
about three square miles, all OF them /
singing and joking. was practicing
riding the swells- Il was fun, felt I
Ike I was doing the sea gull's duty. ]
I soon got tired and got on another !
raft The sun was 50 hot u blistered I
the men
We were in the water about four
hours when the men sighted a steam :