Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-04-10
Bogalusa BoyHas
Thrilling Voyage

five years employed in the N. o. q.
n. audito's office and who with sew
eral other local boys joined the ma
val reserves, had one of the most
thrilling experiences Of any Of the
Bogalusa boys in the navy. He was
one the liner Transportation which
sustained broken rudder during q
great storm. The following from the
Philadelphia North American tells
the story which viii be of great in
terest to Bogalusa citizens, as many
of the boys from this vicinity were
on the boat:
''Towed nearly 1000 mixes through
raging seas, after the, rudder split,
the cargo carrier Transportation
docked at Snyder Avenue pier this
afternoon.
'.Seven 1O-inch hawsers snapped
before the stricken craft was rescued.
ats arrival ended 60-day voy
age from France, crowed with perils,
including an influenza epidemic on
board.
''The vessel brought twenty-four
casual soldiers and lieutenant, all
sick or wounded, from Bermuda.
ct has cargo of American and
French field guns.
Captain James H. Duncan, com
mander of the Transportation, told
today the story of virtually cen
slant battle with the sea since Chr
mas Eve, when his vessel left Brook
Ign for st. Nazaire with a cargo of
locomotives.
"He said the crippled ship almost
| certainly would have been lost but
for the efficient seamanship of the
crew of the U. S. destroyer Quincy.
under Lieutenant Commander J. G.
K. Reddington.
"The Quincy arrived at League Is
land yesterday after bringing the
Transportation to Delaware Break
water. Tugs towed the damaged
vessel to its dock.
| "The TRANSFORMATIONS rudder
broke when the vessel was off the
Canary Islands, in the course of what
/ is described as one of the worst west
ward passages on record s. O. s.
calls brought the freighter Vittorio
Emmanuel and the Quincy, which by
turn, towed the other vessel to Ber-
muda.
From there the trip was made with
the transportation towing the
Quincy and the destroyer steering
both.
captain Duncan's home is in New
Castle, Pa. Bad weather was en-
countered Immediately, he said, upon
the departure Of the Transportation
from Brooklyn, Christmas Eve.
Northwest gales battered the ves-
sci SO fierceIy that several bow plates
were stove in, rivets were pulled and
the entire craft badly strained. The
damage was such that stop was
made at Quibron Bay, west coast OF
France, January 8, for temporary re-
pairs. The vessel did not reach St
Nazaire until January %.
"The westward voyage began Feb
ruary s. Land was scarcely out Of
sight when the Transportation be-
came the toy of terrific gales. Cap
tain Duncan said the tempest was
unequalled in his experience. Waves
lowered S5 feet high, threatening to
engulf the ship.
"The hurricane continued 20 days.
sometimes blowing 102 miles an
hour. #
within a few days, Captain Dun
can, ]. r. Howard, first officer, and
four of the crew were stricken with
influenza. Struggling against head
winds and giant seas, the vessel made
its way to Porto del Garda, Portugal.
"There the u. S. destroyer Waters
put out in a storm and placed navy
doctor aboard the transportation.
The small boat which bore him near
" capsized half G5zen times be-
fore it crossed the short distance be-
tween the two vessels.
"The physician remained on the
Transportation two days. Then Cap
tain Duncan and his mate had re-
covered sufficiently to attempt an
other start for America. More bad
weather determined them to head for
Bermuda.
Six days later, just before 8 a. M
February %, the rudder gave way.
The steamer was then several hum
bred miles off the Canary Islands.
The blade of the rudder split in two
as if cut with a saw. The shaft also
broke
''For the next 2S hours the vessel
drifted helpless, in the tempest. Rus
{ sell w. Osborn Of South Sterling,