Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-27
CAPT. DISMUKES TELLS
THRILLING STORY
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was as silent as the grave on that
subject to-day.
Captain Dismuckes prefaced the
account of the torpedoing of the
Mt. Vernon by story of the part
the United States Navy has had in
putting down the U-boat menace,
and of the training of men for duty
at sea in six weeks to Il degree of
skill ordinarily requiring a year lie
paid Il high tribute TO the quality
of Americans Volunteering for the
sea service in war and to the de-
Votion of the officers who trained
them.
Knew Where Subs Were
The Captain said that it is not
known outside the Navy Department
that, ais a general thing, the COM
manders of the United States ships
knew where the German subs were
operating and were able to avoid
them by following the instructions
of the Navy wireless code messages
received every night.
Bnt that knowledge did not always
help. Coming out of Brest the morn
ing of September 4, last, the Mount
Vernon had aboard about 45O pas
sengers. made up of returning OIL
ficers and 153 wounded and crippled
soldiers. The sky was bright ana
the sea smooth, and Captain Dis
mukes, after being all night on the
bridge, returned to his cabin under
THE bridge for Il cup OF coffee shortly
before 8 o'clock, when he heard
voice cry out: "Periscope" ana
seven seconds later the guns Of the
transport began to bark. Almost Mt
that moment, it seemed, the snip
was apparently lifted halfway out
of the water by the explosion oil a
torpedo. Immediately the Captain
rushed on deck and signalled tull
speed ahead.
Fortunately, he had required that
the bulkhead doors, ordinarily used
by the crew below decks to 90 from
work to quarters, be closed. the
men did net fancy this at first, nut
after the first trip agreed that it was
for their own safety, sand the tact
that there Waertigh bulkheadssw
closed when he ship was struck alone
saved the vessel. There had been
general Understandings hiatt Il
WOuIu ne Ntll W per tilO uSp'' W
he opened when the watch changed,
for a ten-minute interval, but at the
last minute the captain asid some
premonition told him not to permit
the order to becoe effective, and it
was well he did not, for 1t was at
tie when the watch was changing
that the torpedo struck.
Another thing that helped u.s.
said Captain DismulIes, lis that our
gun crews cur depth bombers and
those of the chasers which accom-
panied us went after the U-boat IN
a manner that prevented him from
sending another torpedo at us. rms
was what we wanted for in our Grip
pied condition it would have meant
DEATH"
The torpedo entered at bulk
head. blew out hole from thirty
to forty feet square, and flooded
about $50 feet of the ship.
Suddenly the speed began to slow
down, almost to walk, and word
came from the engine rooms that the
FIRE rooms were flooded and.the steam
was going ,plown. Whatfshad hap
pened was that of the eight fire
time OF deck" said the captain mod
estly, there was presented "A situ-
alton full of interest"
The ship settled steadily until 10
feet below her normal depth in the
water and listed slightly. The crew
got steam up in the uainjred engines,
and the Slow trip back to Brest was
sta rted, theelist Of the vessel steadily
increasing and the calm sea turning
to a storm that blew gale before the
ship finally reached port that night.
Meanwhile, perfect order reigned
on vessel The men went proptly to
stations, the wounded men We're put
in the life boats, wrapped in blankets
and provided with soup. hot choco-
late and other food ana were so com
Portable they remained there until
they got back to Brest
HerOism in Fire Rooms
Captain Dismukes paid high trib-
ute to the men who manned the fire
rooms, reciting the GOODNESS of sew
eraI who kept their heads and re-
sponded to the call to duty with the
walls of the ship blown i'm above
their heads, their companions killed
and surrounded by pitch dariness'
and immersed in cold sea water. Some
of the escapes of these men were
marvellous.
The captain was given l'uSlh5
vote of thanks at the conclusion of his
address. Among those at the lunch
con was Charles Il. Borgel, inspector
of weights and measures, of YORK.
whose son. Charles w, first class
seaman, served under Captain Dis
mukes. Mr.. Borgelis of French eX-
traction, his father having been kill
ed in the war with Germany in 1870.
He was delighted to meet the dis
tingulshed officer. His son was on
the Mount Vernon when the ship was.
torpeoded.
Others Speak.
Other speakers at the luncheon, in
troduced by President Andrew $. Pat
terson. who presided, were the Rev.
Father John c. Thompson, of Steel
ton. and Todd Henderson, manager
of the International Harvester Com
pany's branch here, who are new
members of the Chamber. Father
Thompson, who has had large part
in all of the War Work drives, said
he hoped to continue an active part
in the civic development of Harris