The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-15

Birmingham boy, who tells how Uncle Sam's men are sweeping North sea for mines.
 The following interesting letter was re- ceived from Preston Pogue. who is chief electrician on the United States steamship Aux, mine sweeper No s, by his sister, Miss Lula Pogue. Mir Pogue was re- gently transferred from the United States steamship Birmingham.
 North Sea Mine Fields, May 20, 1919. MY DEAR SIS:
 Your letter of April 26 received today via one of our sub chasers, and also an- other letter from mother: in fact, I re- ceived quite a bunch of mail The de- scriptions in yours and mothers's let ters of springtime in the good old south land certainly sounds good to an exile like myself. And the newspaper clip ping with comments on my souvenirs was quite interesting.
 We are having fine weather here now that is for the North sea area. The sea IS as smooth as floor except when torn up by the explosion of a mine
 But fog bank shuts you in at any time, and makes one feel like Moses in the cellar, when the light went out
 
 in' to mine sweeping now, and don't jump and hold my cap when something goes off, as we all do at first and my wonderful appetite remains as vigorous as ever.
 I will give you an idea of our days work, as dad might be interested in mod ern mine sweeping methods. We sweep in pairs, using long wire cables and what is known as a ''kite" for holding them a fixed depth under the surface.
 We also use a special electrical device for exploding this type of mine, and that is where I come in; but I won't go any further along this line for fear of dis closing something confidential. At any rate, we start sweeping at say in the morning QS hours or more of daylight here, you know). With sweeps out we steam slowly over certain barrage Sud- denly-'off she goes," or maybe six or seven in succession. You feel a terrific jar, deck plates bounce up and down, dishes rattle and the sides of the ship vibrate like a drum.
 The mines explode at different depths For some we get an oily heave of water 20 feet or so high, others not so deep send up a geyser maybe 100 feet high Some let go quite close to the ship, and then we get water aboard, which washes things around bit, and vets one up a little.
 Why don't they go off under us? Well, that is where the electrical device comes in, or should come in, and it has up to present writing.
 We wear life preservers at all times, and I would feel very decollete without one.
 With each pair of sweepers there is a trawler, for dropping buoys, marking, etc, and a sub chaser for running down and sinking "f1oaters,' as we call them; otherwise, floating mines.
 We often run into large schools of fish, stunned by the explosions. I've seen them dotting the ocean for miles around.
 With dip net we can rake them in, bushels of them if need be, and there you are-fsh for dinner.
 After all we don't do so bad, even with cramped quarters, rather bum eats and bad weather.
 It has not been my intention to scare to see mine sweeping just as I see it, and this is not an exaggeration; on the con- trary lots has been left out.
 And I can say that mine sweeping has my IS months sub hunting beaten mle
 Why, it is the greatest fishing in the world, and we feel disappointed if we don't end the day with string of 50 or more mines. I believe when I am a blessed civilian once more that I won't feel my usual self unless I start the day with a couple of cannon crackers or some similar demonstration.
 I suppose I had better finish up this letter as I almost have writers cramp." and you are probably tired reading all this.
 Write me at any old time-all of you-as letters from home are more than welcome, Love to all. PRESTON.