The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-05-27

nD1uND n, W. was standing on the
Suv,,s. 10 castle about 5
O'Clock.
\ VS. foggy. We could not sec a
hundred yards.
We we're going along at about Is
knots, when right on our port bow !
NV 9 white streak on the water!
IknsW what that meant.
I had seen It before.
Il was q torpedo coming for US and
twas making straight for where / was
standing!
ImW this thing coming and ] knew
what It was.
I Locked at Il. Twas Just petritied.
tried 70 report It 10 the bridge, but
I couldn't say anything.
Ny mouth was dry. The fellow with
ne was the same way.
There wasn't q sound on the ship.
Luckily the man at the helm saw 1t
~ the same moment, and swung the
GIiln HaFd to starbcard, and the little
aid Tin fish just missed our bow ny
about 10 feet. We could see it plain
y running about thTee feet under the
water.
II Wa Aot q nice sensation to see
ene Of thSse things coming at you, BE-
cause YOU know that II she hits you
Vou are going to Kingdom Come-you
ave only about two minutes to 90. II
giyes you an awful creepy sensation.
mat was the first one saw, and that
missed ~, and / hope they all keep
on missing.
one nice clear day I was going to
take A picture Of a fellow on board.
We were sitting on the stern. Two OF
Ne we're conveying an oil boat. | was
Inst eoing 70 snap the picture 7hen
eaw a column Of water shoot up TO-
Hsfher with q lot Of smoke and parts
N decks. We could hardly hear the
RxpIosion. It was Just like a little
Mud. You wouldn't have known any
ming had happened had you not seen
n We knew right away what 1t
meant. The tanker had been torpe'
S6ed The sub must have been wait
81 for her, put up her psriscope, fired
md gone down again.
The tanker was not more than
enIple Of hundred yards away. Il
vas q great sight. Il g not often you
- A toFpedoing as nea- as that. AS
4 rule you see the boat one minute
ard she Is gone the mex: time you look
Dor her.
The tanker sank In less than Il mir.
Nlos. The crew al hal time to get
10 ne small boats-all but one Did
fellow Of IS.
When a tanker. 4. topedoed I; makes
BIZ mess on the water.
there 3 OIL for miles around the
sp6t for daVS.
As'tbis particular. 'anker went down,
With her bow sticking up, you could
neaF each buIlIhead explode, ard at
zach explosion up wen: columns OF
heam and smoke ana water.
Il was q gFeat sight, one wen worth
boelng.
We picked up 20 or 80 survivors and
transferred them to'anOther destroyer,
We we're On our way to pick up an
other convoy. That Was the only con-
yoiWeeSeClOSt.
Another day We picked up . wire.
less saying some ship had bean tor.
bedoed some distance OF. We and.
another destoyeF went after Il and all
Ne found was two boats filled with
Cinnamon. We took aboard about IL.
Chinamen and three officers. They had
belonged to "a English tramp.
one q the Cinnamon We had TO
patch % because he had been where
he ShlD'Was toFpedoed. The poor sick
CHA " put IN the washroom on q
litflS eat We rugged up. Il was the
only GlIm0 place on the ship-waTm
because Il ives near q steam pipe.
Il toOk % q long time 70 peFspade
~ Chfnamen % come aboard They
0ought Wo might be . German boat.
We puhosds % tie flag and when they
recon- u. tle Stars and Stripes they
osmSS
WAll.d .ffom Cd board for q week. u
IA. o. 8 m6t 6tmy table. and the
q 6dlEon, Not one spoke
hGe 0io 0p0tO . little Pigeon
"a could get along With
- 4, piskod NJ q littls span.
- diva &. xioo. ! used % make
~, q ldEdh 6elplme a. table.
- clnNnep were VeFy clean. We
~ ton. a. ne and thOy were per,
- 10, w Pit z couple Of
60 ID q o. ed NJ thop Oloopl
cat We 4 - all thppG ID
~ ta,7 q 6H sd
81 & hSd tR6y 81 WSdl 3SVO
diDIn68.
Ns,us 10 t'odblG, They Ia
= efl4 6nf D! lFaIy m0Flng ~
Dd4d ct SDsst ne, end % On DIR
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