The Prescott daily news., 1918-12-26

- SNbJ o " lbo iHoWCIS uGlcI- mine If it were enemy or friend. This was very necessary to prevent our sinking an allied sub, and at the same time fast work had to be done. On this patrol few minutes after we came into contact with the convoy. we saw three submarines operating in formation just ahead of the convoy and evidently preparing to fire into the leading ship. It took only a few seconds to determine that they were Huns. One of them emerged and fired a torpedo at the leading ship, but missed the mark. We were flying at an altitude of aboue 2,500 feet; the pilot immediately circled over and the observer at the command, dropped an lash can" (sailor slang for depth bomb), striking the first sub almost in the middle. With the remaining bomb we disabled second sub, and the third evidently decided it time to ramble. l dispatched message and had an English boat come to the spot to tow the disabled sub to the English base, so we didn't get to see our cap tives that time. For this act the crew received several letters of commenda- tion yesterday from the commander of naval aviation, Europe, and from force commander Admiral Sims. Be- sides the commendation letters to the crew of five of that plane, the entire station of Laugh Foyle, only four hundred men, was pronounced the most efficient aviation station in Flu rope-and the subs sank here more than repaid expenditures of several stations. We are certainly proud to have made such record.
 l was certainly surprised, though, at the appearance of German crew of captured submarine brought into Londonderry few weeks ago. They had just sunk White Star liner on her return trip to America, and in turn were themselves disabled by an lash can" The crew of this liner were almost entirely American ne groes, and it was certainly amusing to watch their efforts to do violence to the Germans, as they were being rushed to England to war prisoners camp. The German commander was young man of intelligent appear ance, and seemed totally incapable of the atrocities committed by his kind during the war
 Just the day the armistice was signed. I was preparing to leave for M. l. T., Boston. to receive my com mission as ensign (pilot); had passed all exams, educational and physical. But now 1 shall endeavor to secure my release from the service as soon as possible. think 1 shall succeed since Secretary Daniels has just an nounced that all men desiring to re- enter school or college would be re- leased from the navy However, shall be forced to stay here until the rfist of March at least, to help in clos ing up the station.
 l think too that the winter will not be so dull for us as some of us had been exepecting. We are only eight miles from Londonderry, Ireland's fourth city, but it is so far behind America in it's presentations at the theatres, that l had rather stay in camp when l desire recreation or amusement. Last night we had bunch of Metropolitan Opera artists to entertain us at the 'Y." It was good to hear an American and-bet ter still knew one of the girls, Gladys Strand of Chicago. I shall probably spend Christmas vacations in London or Paris, perhaps both but oh, if it could only be home in- stead.
 l shall constantly be wishing that l were back once again, and shall cer- tainly return soon as possible.
 Give my love to all
 Your loving son,
 n