New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-01-29
ON U. s. DESTROYER
THROUGH WAR ZONE
JAG. MATscH OF NEW ULM HAS
MANY EXCITING TRIPS
WITH Conveys
ALL LIGHTS ON SHIPS TURNED
OUT DURING NIGHT FOR
IS MONTHS

Conveying merchantmen and troop
ships across the ocean and through the
submarine war zone is an exciting game,
according to the story of Jacob Matsch
OF New Ulm who spent about week
here on a visit with his brother Frank.
He sa. s, soieighteen months long they
travelled with all lights turned out during
he night, which experience at first was
accompanied with an intense sensation
OF danger but later on was taken as
necessary part of the daily life on the
ship. Finally they became so used to
the dark that it hardly annoyed them
at all.
ss4 In Service FOR Seven Years
Jacob Matsch entered the service OF
the U. S. Navy about seven years ago.
leaving home in May, 1912. For four
months he was on repair ship when he
was transferred to destroyer, as engin-
eer. To-day he is chief engineer on the
destroyer 'Ammen,' thus christened il
honor of Daniel Ammen of Brown
County, Ohio, an admiral in the time of
the Civil War. When the war broke
out Y Dung Matsch had seen several years
OF training, fitting him splendidly for
the new task now imposed upon him like
on many others.
In Groups of 20 to 40
Soon the safe transport of American
troops across the Atlantic became enc Of
the most important and most difficult
tasks OF the war. In groups of 20 te
40 ships the transports we gathered
| near the American shore where they were
met by large number of destroyers
which accompanied them for about 400
to 500 miles and then returned to port
again to get ready for a new CONVOY.
In mid Atlantic only one cruiser remained
with the transports until they got about
! 700 miles off the English or Irish coast
when they again were met by large
number Of destroyers which protected
them against attacks by submarines
until they reached their bases in Scotland
Ireland, England or France In accom-
panying merchantmen the destroyen
Ibid not go out quite SO far.
Met Several U-boats
Several times q U-boat was seen,
said Mr.. Matsch. They were chased
and disappeared and depth charges up
to $50 lbs. to 400 lbs. were dropped
These depth charges had been invented
in America but were brought to perfec-
ton by the English. At one time the
explosion of such a bomb shook the
destroyer heavily, putting the water
condensers out of commission and making
return to port necessary. In no case
could the destruction of the submarine
be firmly established. he said, although
the probability always was very great.
The destroyer was the real enemy Of the
submarine, he said, and had their num-
Der been greater, all loss might have been
eliminated. Seven days a destroyer
usually was out at sea and three days
in port viii h, in the pinion of Mr..
Matsch, was hardly enough for the
necessary repairs. They did not lose a
single man on the "Ammen,'' either
through sickness or through other causes.
Line Officer His Ambition
Chief engineer Matsch at present has
charge Of As men on his boat. It has
been his ambition to become line
Chief engineer Matsch at present has
charge Of As men on his boat. It has
been his ambition to be ONE line
officer some day so as to be able to be
placed in command of a ship With
that aim in view he will report for duty
on February LIST, at the navy yard in
Philadelphia. On his former trips, he
always made it a point to be with the
officers on the bridge as much as possible,
in order to study the laws Of navigation
in all their details.
Zeebruegse Raid Daring
The Zeebruegge and Ostend raids were
among the most daring feats Of the whole
war, Mr.. Matsch said he was most
enthusiastic about them and gave the
men taking part in the raids credit for
their fearlessness.
There will be Farmer S shorr
Course held in the village of Lafayette
on February Il, "a and Is A corn
show will be held in connection with
the short course Liberal premiums
will be given 70 the prize winners at
the show.