South Bend news-times., 1919-07-03
GRE VI HAS MANY
DEATH ESCAPE
Unusual Story of Daring Dur
ing War Has lust Come
to Light.

usLa. story OF hardsnlps, daring ana
miraculous escape from death dur
irg the war was brought 70 light for
the first time wednesday when
naval officers made public an ac-
count OF the adventures Of the crew
navy dirigible BIZ. which was Civ
IT mp for lost by the department in
July 1918, after drifting around at
sea for more than two days during
whsch the crew had practically
nothing 70 eat and ran short Of
drinking water. The dirigible finally
was forced 10 descend on the surface
OF the sea and the crew was res
cucd by the Swedish ship Skager.
The BIZ with Ensign ". 3. Griffin
as commanding officer and pilot, En-
sigr ". &. Briscoe as assistant pilot
and Machinists Mate +. A. Upton as
mechanic, was ordered to leave
Chatham. Mass. early July 70 on
patrolling expedition. German sub
marines were then operating of the
Atlantic coast and the dirigible was
well loaded with bombs when il left
the air station. Scanty food sup
plies were carried as Ensign Griffin
expected 70 return TO Chatham that
night The radio equipment had
only been partially installed and
could not be used TO send or receive
messages
The B-12 patrolled. the north
along the coast and sighted a trans
port about 2:3O p. m. Ensign Grif-
i'm headed toward the vessel, intend
ed 10 escort IL toward port. when the
heel brace on the rudder was car
ried away. making it impossible to
steer the craft High winds were
prevailing at the time and the BIZ
was forced 10 cruise around in a
great circle while the crew attempt
ed tC attract the attention Of several
ships and two seaplanes then in
sight. No attention was paid TO re-
peated signals and finally Ensign
Cr.f1n ordered the motors cut off
ir order to save the gasoline for
ballast
High I'm Air.
The BIZ at that time about 200
feet in the air was virtually a free
balloon. Darkness was coming on
and tie big gas bag was drifting
northward at a speed Of about %
miles an hour, with an increasing
wind behind II. A sea anchor was
rigged up and an effort made to re-
ts.rd the dirigible's progress by drag
ging II in the sea. After "a few mo-
ments. however. the towing cable
parted and the nOrthward progress
4
About $3.50 o'clock that night a
snip was sighted and nine rockets
were fired from a pistol. The yes
SCI apparently saw the signals and
directed its course toward the BIZ
only 10 turn away in a few moments
and leave the helpless gas bag 10
the mercy OF the winds About that
time the pipe line leading 10 the
emergency oil tank broke and be
fore the leak was discovered. all OF
the oil was lost, causing a consider
able decrease of ballast. TIE Bile
BEGAN 10 rise and ascended steadily
until an altitude OF 5000 feet was
reached.
All night the dirigible continued
its wild dash northward the crew
meantime consuming the small
amount of food aboard Ensign
Griffin had no idea Of his where.
abouts.
Dropped Near sea.
Early on the morning Of the sec
ord day the gas bag buckled and
the horizontal FMS dropped 10 a
vertical position Throughout thar
day tho big bag alternately dropped
until pcrilously near the sea and
aScended To an altitude of more thar
$500 feet. Every available articl,
was thrown overheard during thes,
variations In altitude 10 keep tn,
ship from plunginE into the ocean
Not a vessel was sighted during The
dag or that night The crew. mean.
time. was commencing 10 suffei
from hunger.
on the morning Of the third day
Of the involuntary cruise. the SUI
shone brightly and as the gas in tn,
gas expanded readily the BIZ start
I'd 10 rise Ensign Griffin after con
ference with the other members O.
the crew decided To bring the B-1.
TO the surface and take chanc,
on being picked up. The Big wa
brought 10 the surface safely.
shortly after descending a shiI
was sighted and il directed il
course toward the diriEibIe. tn,
crew OF which meantime were hav
ing great difficulty i'm keeping clea,
or the water. The vessel proved t,
be the Swedish steamer SkagerI
bound for Halifax. 4 small boa
was put over the side and the crew
* the B-12 taken of. Then as tn,
Increasing heat from the SUI
caused the gas further 10 expand
the dirigible rose a few feet abov,
the surface was pulled over 10 IN,
Skagern, the rip cord pulled an,
the BIZ salVaged without mucl
damage, more than 500 miles from
its home station.