Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-07-04
Germans Fail in Raid on Great
est United States
Transport.
CARRIES 10000 SOLDIERS
Eye Witness Gives Thrilling Account
Of Trip Across Atlantio-Hlah
Praise for Work OF American
. Navy-Men on Transport
Behave splendIdly in
Time Of Danger.

count of an attack by three submarines
on the United States transport Lee
viathan and the destruction of two Of
the U-boats by United States destroy
ers, is contained in letter from Capt.
Charles A. Harmon of this city to his
son, Sergt. Carl A. Harmon, at Camp
Custer. The Leviathan, formerly the
German Vaterland, is the largest vessel
afloat and was seized by the United
States When this country entered the
war.
Captain Harmon is in the motor me-
chanics division of the aviation corps,
now safely in France, while his son
is member of the ambulance COM
pany.
The Leviathan carried 10000 soldiers
on that particular trip and every pre-
caution of camou11age and zigzag nav
igation was employed to protect it
from the submarines, since the Ger
man government Is said to have offered
fortune and great honors to the COM
mander and crew of the U-boat that
succeeds in sinking it.
All Obey Orders.
"Most of the men aboard were raw
recruits" says Captain Harmon, ''but
when the emergency came the constant
drill and training told and not man
disobeyed orders. Twenty hours from
our destination, at daybreak, we picked
up the destroyers in bowling gale.
They came swooping at us out OF a
rain squall like flying fish. Boy! They
looked good. They are little, long, in
trepid devils all engine and wicked
ness. We were tearing along at high
speed, trusting to luck not to hit any
thing. but those little devils curved
and circled and zigzagged around us as
IL we We're at anchor.
"Even with our thousand feet of
length we could hardly keep our feet
on deck, but they, with their 200 feet
or less, were simply doing the impos-
sible. Seas too high to ride they dived
through. actually disappearing at times.
And when, in their circles, they fell
into the trough, they took a list that
would make your heart stop.
"sThey carry two spars about so feet
high. On top Of each is a crows nest,
with a man in each watching for peri
scopes The gunners are dashed to
their guns. They must be amphibious
The ride those crow's-nest birds took
that day would curl your hair.
Taking No Chances.
GAIL day long it howled and rained
and blew, and most of the following
night, too. 1t was too rough for u
boats, but we were pitching over the
bones Of the Lusitania and hundreds of
other good ships and the destroyers
were taking no chances.
"Any time the United States navy is
mentioned you just get onto your legs
and salute-just on general principles.
When you cross you will understand
why. They are there, those lads.
II went on duty in a troop section
below the water line that evening at
five and was on duty for 10 hours sta
toned on stairway where I could
pick off the first bird that batted an
eye. About midnight the sea went
down. Then we did expect trouble any
minute. 1t was tough, long night.
We knew that If q torpedo ever hit in
that section we hadn't chance in the
world. At five in the morning was re-
lieved and went up topside, to the for
ward upper deck. 1t was just break
ing daylight, clear, no wind, sea as
smooth as glass. Six more destroyers
had Joined us some time during the
night and they were coursing like
panthers near and far in great,
swooping curves all around us.
Finally They Came.
1--WE We're roaring along in sharp
zigzags, the ship trembling like a
nervous dog with the best speed in
her. thought to myself, as took it
all in:
We'll. this is the time and the
place. Now where in h arc those
doggoned Huns?'
"As IL in answer to my question the
nearest destroyer turned on her tail
anti shot straight at our cutwater as If
to head something off, at the same
time firing rapidly at something the
other side of her and close by. In.
stantly the others pointed in toward
us and came darting in like diving
sharks.
The nearest destroyer was not more
than so yards distant. Next it swung
around in n smother of white water
and in an instant / saw the black sterr
of a submarine as it upended in {
dive so close to the destroyer that the.
actually bumped. Then the destroyer
sat back of the sub only few fee
under the surface.
U-Boat Blown to Atoms.
There was terrific explosion j
shool, our ship as if it had been struck
That sub just was naturally blown tt
atoms. 1t almost cut the destroyer IL
two, nearly blew the stern of her off
But that is just part of the job fol
those boys. Their business is to ge
subs What happens to them is ar
other matter entirely.