New-York tribune., 1918-07-20
Battle With Ca1nuu-
Aaged Submarine
Occurs 8 Miles OF
Fire Island
Many Lives Lost;
Hundreds Rescued
Quartermaster, l. e f
Aboard, Sa1utes Com
rades as Boats De-
part, Then Dies

The United States cruiser San
Diego WIS sunk eight miles off Fire
Island at 11:10 o'clock yesterday
morning in a battle with German
submarine The vessel was torpe-
doed a1nidships during a fierce fight
at close range, listed and went down
within fifteen minutes after she was
struck
The number Of men killed in the
explosion of the magazine and boil
ers, and who went down with the
sinking ship, was not known at a
late hour last night. Thirty-fve
survivors who landed in lifeboats at
Point O Woods said that a number
were lost, one or two estimating the
casualties at 500 or more.
One Of the men, a member of the
ships starboard gun crew, declared
he and his comrades continued to
blaze away at the submarine after
the deck was awash. He insisted he
saw one of the shells strike forward
Of the submarines periscope and she
Immediately disappeared.
Barrel Conceals Periscope
According to the story of the res
cued sailors the attacking submarine
disguised her presence by concealing
the periscope under a floating barrel
The lookout noticed that the barrel
was moving toward him against the
tide, grew suspicious and sounded the
alarm.
When the attack came the gun crews
hred at the barrel, but it is believed
the u-boat already had dived. The
majority of sailors on the vessel were
recent naval recruits. Stories of cool
ness and heroism were told by the sur
vlvors. All stayed by their posts.
Several explosions were reported, the
oollers going first and the magazines
olowlng up few seconds later. The
snip heaved up clear out of the water
and then Immediately began to settle
one of the most heroic deaths was
lhat OF a quartermaser. who had been
ordered to stand on the bridge while
M ,ne men were being sent to the boats.
ms officer stayed at his post until it
was too late for him to save himself
or be saved.
Salutes as Ship Goes Down
Just as the San Diego was going
GOWN, the quartermaster turned, fac
ing to the sea where hundreds of his
comrades were in boats and in the sea,
ana calmly saluted. The last seen of
MIN the ship was going down and he
was still at salute.
Ihere was no excitement after the
EXPLOSIONS. The men were piped to
'helr battle stations and life belts were
quietly donned. The gunrers stood by
10 the last, fighting waist deep in the
water that washed up over the slopine
decks. 1t was feared that several Of
'nem were carried down by the sinking
ship.
The captain and the first officers
stayed until the ship made her final
Fiunge 1t was reported that the en-
g'he room crew was trapped below and
lost to man
The Navy Department early this
morning received information that
."o steamships, which are proceeding
TO an unnamed port, have aboard L.
GO officers and men of the United
,ates cruiser San Diego. These are
"a addition to the one officer and
tnIcty men previously reported landed.
II this should prove true, it would
ieave only fifty-eight men unaccounted
Other Ships Reported Attacked
The men are said to be in good con-
oition. So far as is known none was
injured.
=, There also were reports last night,
ssnough not confirmed, that other ships
mao been attacked. one being described
"s -, coastwise passenger ship.
The coastwise steamer reported in
"a'rne circles to-day as having sent
out wireless signals of distress on
account of submarine attack, had
among her passengers detachment
ol marine recruits. She carried large
quantity of freight.
Intermittent cannonading was heard
all day and evening along the coast.
Continued or M M }b.a.