Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-02-20
men MANNED, ship AFIRE
U. S. Destroyer Rushes to Rescue Just
as Shell Cripples Engines
Crew Fires 2o2 Shots to
Foes BPS.


DDS shots and the Luckenbach 202. In
the midst of the battle wireless dis
tress calls sent out by the Luckenbach
were picked up by an American de-
stroyer, which replied that it would
take two hours to reach the scene, and
advised the steamer not to surrender.
Two hours and twenty minutes later
the destroyer had arrived close enough
to fire its first shot at the submarine
which submerged ten minutes later
and disappeared.
The report received by the navy de
partment says that at 7:30 a. m. the
Luckenbach reported steamer
abeam. The commander of the armed
guard sighted her himself about one
point forward of the port beam. While
he was scrutinizing the steamer
through the glass a sail appeared on
her. Both of the Luckenbach's guns
were trained on the vessel. The guard
commander then went aloft to obtain
a better view. When he was half way
up, the vessel, now discovered to be q
submarine, opened fire.
The Luckenbach Immediately re.
piled with both guns. The first two
or three shots fred by the submarine
fell about 1900 yards short. She was
firing at long range. The Lucken.
bach's shots also fell short. AS the
submarine appeared to be closing In.
the captain was told to put the stern
of the Luckenbach to her. which he
did. II was then that distress signals
were sent out by wireless.
Shell Starts Fire Aboard.
The submarine closed in to about
1900 yards. Early in the battle a shot
from the submarine landed on the deck
forward on the port side and exploded
in the gun crews quarters, starting q
fire which partially destroyed the
quarters and burned the effects of the
gun crew.
A shot landed near the stern and ex.
ploded, putting the after gun out of
commission.
"At least Dds rounds were fred by
the submarine, out of which there
were only nine clean hits" the COM
mander reports. pieces of shell were
falling all around the deck. Two shots
landed on the port side forward, strik.
ing the oilers room and putting a
large hole In the side; one landed on
the port side at the water line, hitting
the fresh water tank and destroying
most of the fresh water supply. An
other landed in the petty officers mess
room and exploded, putting, the ash.
hoist out of commission and bursting
the steam pipe, also wounding two
men, one mess boy and one fireman.
One shot passed through the weather
screen on the bridge and landed in the
cargo, exploding but not starting q
fire. Pieces of shell hit V. Louther,
one of the armed guard, In three
places. One of the ships crew who
was carrying ammunition forward was
hit. Another shell exploded in the en-
CINE room. wounding the first and
third engineers and putting the engine
out of commission. Bell, one of the
gun crew, was going up the forward
ladder carrying ammunition when the
shell that landed in the quartermas-
ter's room exploded, the fumes from
the shell binding him for about two
hours"
Would Never Surrender.
The distress calls were answered by
a United States destroyer at $40. The
destroyer was asked how quickly II
could arrive at the scene.
1.-TWO hours" was the reply. The
captain of the Luckenbach said: TOO
late. Look for boats"
Don't surrender" came back the
message, and the Luckenbach replied
Never"
At about IL a. m. smoke-that of the
destroyer--was sighted on the horizon
The Luckenbach was headed toward
the smoke. 1t was shortly after this
that the engines were temporarily put
out of commission by shell. At about
IL 80 the destroyer fred her first shot
at the submarine, which submerged
ten minutes later.
'IThe ships crew behaved credita
bly,, no trouble being experienced IL
| getting them to pass ammunition" thu
commander of the armed guard re
ports. THE firemen stayed below
Great praise Is due the armed guar
for the manner In which they perform
ed their duty. The men stationed a
the guns never fiinched. When tn,
/ after gun was put out of commission
the after pointers came to the forwart
gun and relieved one another, as Is
rounds were fred out of the forwar,
gun"
The destroyer stood by until the en-
| gtnes were repaired, which took abou
two hours and half. and then escort
ed the Luckenbach to \ convoy. vhicl
was reached about s p. N