Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-01-08


was No l. During the long winter
nights while operating from Scapa
Flow and Rosyth, the Florida vessel
was No 1 in many respects.
The real story of the Florida and her
many adventures-which were shared
by several Sumter county boys-was
told today by Malcolm Argo, of Amer
icus, sailor of the ship, just before
leaving for Norfolk tonight to rejoin
his ship after a furlOugh of ten days
here. During his visit he has been
reticent to talk about his experiences
during the war, but on leaving he gave
The Times Recorder the whole story.
And it was thrilling enough, and in
eluded encounters with twenty subma>
rines and one narrow escape from an
undersea nest in the spring of 1918.
If either of the two torpedoes that
skinned a short gunshot astern had
struck, or if the one undersea missile
that grazed the bow of the ship on
the same afternoon had been bit more
true. well-the Jack tars on board say
the good old Florida might have been
No. / of Americas battleships in DaVy
Jones locker.
In describing the beginning OF the
Grand Fleets work done by the Amer
lean achievements. Mr.. Argo said:
Cold and dismal were the long
nights that winter. There was dark
ness of from sixteen to eighteen hours.
We never had lights.
There came constant reports of
ships being sunk by German surface
craft. Then we got busy.
In two months time We had clear
ed the surface raiders from the North
Sea. After January not one boat was
sunk in the North Sea by German sur
face craft.
FThe first submarine rub engaged in
by the squadron of American ships
was in April, 1871. We were five miles
off Norway We had just returned
from convoy work and We're cruising
about to pick up another convoy when
general headquarters ordered all men
to their battle stations. A Slick
of an undersea boat had been spotted
by the lookout man.
Then it became evident that an at
tack by a nest of u-boats was in order.
Torpedoes began Sizing. 1t was
beautifully clear day The five Ameri-
can vessels were attacked simultan-
eously. You could see the wake left
by the torpedoes.
There were probably four subma-
rines in the nest The Delaware start
ed chasing one of the boats which had
a periscope sticking out of the water.
The boat submerged completely. Then
a group of British destroyers started
work.
cash cans and all varieties of
dep-h bombs were dropped. We could
feel the old Florida yibrate, and at
first thought we had been struck, SO
great was the conclusion OF the I. N.
T. And although we did not receive
official credit, we were confident that
at least one of the subs was put out of
business"
The chief event during the long
months of service, however. was the
surrender of the German high seas
fleet, in which the dreadnOught Florida
participated. The story was told by
Mr.. Argo
Reveille was sounded at 3: 40 on the
memorable morning, and the first Ger
man ships were sighted at 9:O5. Ev-
cry man was at his position and all
guns were trained. No trust was plac-
ed in the Germans and the allied fleet
was ready for any emergency, but the
long procession of battleships passed
into the Firth of Forth without any
demonstration. L he beIuldIlS NSlC VI
dered to lower their colors by the
COMMUNICATIVE chief of the grand fleet,
Sir David Beatty and there was in
slant obedience. After that, which was
the only incident of the surrender
which attracted much attention. there
was complete silence on all vessels.
The German ships passed through
great aisle of allied battleships, Brit
ish ships on one side and American
and British on the other. The Florida
was stationed several miles out, and
the passage of the German ships was
all of the surrender seen by those on
board
The next notable event in the lives
of the Youthful Sumter heroes was
when their ship escorted President
Wilson'S party to Brest, December IA.
They left the day after their arrival
at Brest. and sailed the next day for